In Dark Places
by TurboLover69
Summary: Kylo Ren has been having this inner fight ever since he joined the Dark Side. He has been feeling torn apart between the two sides of The Force. He is often weakened by this inner conflict and it really disturbs him. That's until he meets someone special that manages to keep him in the path of the darkness. Whether it is the right choice or not, he doesn't mind as long he remains t
1. Witching Hour

In Dark Places

 _Part 1: Witching Hour_

It had been years since the Empire was destroyed and Kylo Ren had to rebirth it from the ashes in the face of the First Order. He was staring through the enormous panel window, propping himself on his hands, buried in thoughts. He was feeling a little...disappointed since one of general Hux's stormtroopers had betrayed them. Besides, one of the Knights of Ren had disappeared without a trace recently. He needed a replacement, as strong as possible and the sooner the better. Of course, being a Knight of Ren is a heavy duty, so Ren needed someone he could trust, one of his people. He recalled being notified by the leader of the stormtroopers, Captain Phasma, that there are troopers who are force sensitive. And that's what he needed - a force sensitive soldier, strong and trust worthy.

"Captain Phasma, I have to talk to you." Kylo Ren entered the room impatiently. Phasma was a little puzzled, but she followed her master without any questions.

"How can I help you, sir?" Phasma started with a professional tone.

"Captain Phasma, if I remember correctly, you once alerted me that you saw a stormtrooper giving signs of being force sensitive."

"Yes, master. I also remember how very unusual I found it to be. There's never been such a case before."

"Tell me what you know about that very stormtrooper." Kylo Ren crossed his arms behind his back and started making steps back and forward in impatient waiting for the information he required.

"Not much, master. The number is DA-0666. He hasn't said a word after one particular of his missions. Not a word. He keeps distance from the other troopers. It's like something just snapped in him after that mission. This doesn't stop him from being one of my best soldiers after all."

"What was that mission? Was it in some way traumatizing or unusually dangerous?" His curiosity and suspicion was awakened by Phasma's words and he needed answers.

"No, not at the least. It was a totally ordinary mission, a visit to another planet."

"Which planet?"

"Tatooine, sir. We were after some fugitives."

"Get me that stormtrooper, Captain Phasma." Ren was never a fool. He had suspicions on what could have happened, but it seemed too unbelievable for him to believe. It was all far too weird already and now...that stormtrooper. "And also find one of your most skilled troopers and also bring him to me." He added, arms still angrily crossed behind his back.

In no time his orders were fulfilled and both of the stormtroopers were brought to him in the training room. He was standing there in a majestic posture, a posture from which power and control radiated. The stormtroopers were standing in front of him, waiting for orders.

"I'm going to be straightforward with this. One of my Knights of Ren has disappeared and since the times are rough, I need a skilled and strong replacement as soon as possible. I have been notified that you,"- he sharply turned to face the stormtrooper - "DA-0666 have showed signs of possession of...the Force. You will pass three tests so I have an idea of your skills. Shooting, hand fighting and lightsaber fighting. They are not hard. Well, maybe except the last one, because you will be fighting against...me. You, ML-5947, as Captain Phasma's pick of a most skilled trooper, will be the one DA-0666 will be matched against with. Are you ready?" Ren explained and looked at the two masked men. They both nodded readily.

DA-0666 took a deep breath. It was the time to prove oneself, now that the trooper was noticed by the master. Both of the stormtroopers were now standing against each other, ready to match their skills. Both with blasters in their hands, they were just waiting for the command. Captain Phasma and Kylo Ren were watching from the other side of the glass window.

"Begin." Ren ordered and almost immediately you could hear the sound of the shooting blasters. DA-0666 was expertly avoiding every ray and shooting back accurately. It took only seconds before DA-0666 had ML-5947 on the ground. Kylo Ren exhaled deeply. "Impressive. Most impressive. Next round." He announced and DA-0666 helped up his fellow stormtrooper. They took fighting positions in wait for the order. "Begin." Ren ordered and the stormtroopers started fighting. High kicks and strong punches all over the room. DA-0666 made every move with grace and ease. He knew exactly what he was doing. "The Force is strong with this one." Kylo Ren muttered under his breath, making Captain Phasma turn her head puzzled. Ren could sense it - anger, hate, strong hate filling the soul of the fighting stormtrooper, he could feel the power of the Force running through the soldier. Again, DA-0666 had ML-5947 on the ground. Poor loser had to be thankful for the stormtrooper uniform on himself. The winner helped his fellow soldier get up again as the leader of the Knights of Ren entered the room. He was holding two lightsabers in his hands - his own and one for the stormtrooper. He threw it towards the trooper and to prove himself, DA-0666 used the Force to catch it. Ren stood motionless for a second, realizing this could be his man. "Good. Are you ready for the last test?" Ren turned on his lightsaber and it was the only sound you could hear. That was until DA-0666 turned his on and attacked Ren without warning. Of course, Ren managed to avoid the attack. It was a tough fight - two good fighters using the Force against each other. Suddenly, their lightsabers crossed and it was a matter of who would let go first. Standing face to face, they couldn't see their eyes because of their masks. All of a sudden, DA-0666 ran away. He jumped to the door, breaking it down with the lightsaber and ran off as fast as he could. Ren and Phasma took some time to realize what was happening. "Get him!" Ren commanded when he came to his senses and Captain Phasma ran off to summon her stormtroopers.

In the meantime, DA-0666 was heading for one of the TIE-fighters. No one even suspected he was a pilot. He was about to take off when the chains stopped him. Of course, this wasn't something a little force couldn't handle.

"Unauthorized takeoff." Someone announced and Ren happened to be on the spot when the TIE-fighter managed to take off.

"Who was that?" Ren knew the answer, but he refused to believe it. He refused to believe all of this was happening.

"We don't know, master Ren."

"Bring him back here!" He shouted angrily and walked out of the room.

A few hours later Captain Phasma showed up with relaxing news.

"Master Ren, we found him." Phasma announced, surprising Ren.

"Prepare the shuttle for takeoff, we're leaving now!" He ordered and stormed off to the shuttle.

"We found him, sir. He has landed on Ansion. We saw a little house in the trees, it's close to where the TIE-fighter has landed, he must be there." One stormtrooper explained to Kylo Ren when he got aboard of the shuffle.

"Very good. We're taking off." He ordered and the shuffle took off for the green planet.

When they landed in the middle of the forest, Kylo Ren was the first to set foot to the ground. He didn't need directions. He very well could now sense the one he was looking for. He headed directly to the house, knowing his presence could be sensed too. He stopped in front of the door and broke it down with no warning. DA-0666 was there and he definitely didn't expect the sudden break in. The body of a man was lying in a puddle of blood on the ground, freshly killed with a lightsaber, probably killed by DA-0666. Ren pulled out his lightsaber sharply and turned it on. The stormtrooper raised his hands.

"If you make a single move I'll cut your head off along with your mask. Now, proceed to unseal it slowly." Ren ordered angrily, pointing the lightsaber to the trooper's neck. DA-0666 shook his head in denial. "Do it or I'll kill you and we'll finally put an end to all of this!" He shouted and the stormtrooper gave in. He put his hands on the mask insecurely, taking it off slowly. Red curls like blood dropped down the soldier's shoulders just to discover the beautiful face and determined look of a young woman. She dropped the helmet to the ground and shot a killer look to the man with the mask, her features twisting in a scowl. Ren was puzzled. He lowered his lightsaber. He didn't say a word; he was trying to answer the millions of questions in his head.

" _I am the one who chose my path  
I am the one who couldn't last  
I feel the life pulled from me  
I feel the anger changing me"_ – Korn, "Did My Time"


	2. Woman Of Dark Desires

In Dark Places

 _Part 2: Woman Of Dark Desires_

Kylo inhaled deeply and came to his senses.

"So it was a ... little ... girl that caused us all of this trouble?" Ren started.

"Hey, watch your mou-..." (Y/N) threatened, but was cut off by Ren's lightsaber getting closer to her bare neck.

"Don't move! Don't make me do something I don't want to do."

"I'm not a "little girl." (Y/N) hissed through her clenched teeth.

"I must say I'm both impressed and rather...disappointed..."

"Well, life is one big disappointment, master Ren, I'm sorry to be a part of it."

"We'll have a nice talk about life with you, but that's not the time and place for it." Ren waved his hand in front of the girl's face and caught her princess style as she proceeded to pass out in his arms. He started making his way back to the ship, but on his way there, every time he looked at the girl he was angered at how he couldn't resolve this mystery before it happened in front of his eyes and he couldn't explain himself how did she happen to be the cause of their troubles. He couldn't have known. Just a little girl... "We're taking off." Ren announced as the stormtroopers looked at him, probably out of confusion to what was happening.

(Y/N) woke up, feeling uncomfortable. Her head was spinning, her vision was blurred and she was...immobilized - tied up in an interrogation room. She shook her head in attempt to shake off the dizziness and recover her vision. When she regained her vision all she could see in front of her was the same tall man in a mask that she saw the last time she was conscious. She wasn't surprised at all.

"Welcome back on the Star Killer Base." The tall man started, his mechanical voice echoing in the small room.

"Good to be home. I remember it a little more comfortable, at least without the restraints." (Y/N) joked.

"There wouldn't be restraints if you had behaved. However, you were a bad girl, DA_0666. After the current events I'm not even convinced that's your real name."

"You're right. It's not." The redhead stated with a tone of pride in her voice.

"I would like to hear it, if you don't mind."

"I don't think I should be giving my name to strangers."

"You know very well who I am."

"You're right. How low of me, really." The girl derided him and he felt himself getting angered as his fists clenched. His hands reached for his mask and he slowly unsealed it just to discover the visage of the handsome young man that was hiding behind the mask. (Y/N) smirked at her own skill with the words. She could drive anybody out of their skin with the least to be said. "Impressive how a young man like you can achieve something as big as this. Admirable, really."

"Now that we're really face to face I want to know what all that game was about. Are you from the Resistance?" Ren approached his new prisoner and looked her straight in the eye with the intention to intimidate her, to find a weak spot he could hold on to. (Y/N) chuckled.

"No, the Resistance could only wish I was on their side." She didn't move her look from his, remaining as careless as before. He was getting annoyed that he couldn't affect her in any way so far, any way that could weaken her.

"I believe there's an interesting story behind that sentence."

"Let me put it this way, master Ren. If I tell you the reason behind why I did this, you would either misunderstand me or fail to understand me at all, which is a little doubtful as you are a pretty bright individual. However, I believe you might find my story...intriguing, to say the least." The confidence in the redhead's voice was making Ren even more curious. He needed answers and he needed them on the spot.

"You did manage to intrigue me, even though I'm hardly ever intrigued. I'm convinced your story won't be any less intriguing."

"It's a long story, master Ren. Be careful what you wish for." The girl raised an eyebrow.

"I've got the time. I've got all the time in the world to get the answers I need."

"You might want to sit down then." She smirked, yet Ren was still as expressionless. "I guess it would be just fair to start with my name. I know your name, I've seen your face, you've seen my face, but you don't know my name. Let's equal that out. My name is (Y/N), but if there's a chance for me to be recognized, that would be under the name of Lord Edenia."

"Lord?" Ren asked confused.

"Yes, master Ren. I just happen to be the last living Sith Lord and my gender doesn't really fit in the title." The girl smirked as she saw realization written on the man's face.

"You're Lord Vader's adopted daughter." His voice was confident and straightforward, but emotionless, he knew there was no way he could be wrong.

"You got it right, master Ren. Seems like you've done some serious digging within the archives of the Empire...or at least what was left of it."

"Tell me, how is that possible?"

"Well, first things first. I was born on Tatooine, Lord Vader's own birth planet. I, like him, used to live in slavery with my mother. My real father had died fighting in a war for the rebels a while before I was born. At the age of 7 I was already fixing and flying ships, just like he used to do. As I was later on told by Lord Vader, he was once called by Lord Sidious and alerted of someone strong with the Force, living on Tatooine. Vader was given the mission to find that someone and teach him the ways of the Dark Side. When he saw me he felt it - the Force running strong through my veins. Besides, he saw his past self in me. He talked to my mother and even though she has always followed the Light, she decided it's better for me to be taught the ways of the Dark Side instead of spending my life living in slavery, so she allowed him to take me. She had always been saying that it was the Dark Side that was standing behind our slavery, but even so young I knew it was just people with thirst for money who haven't felt even a breeze of the Force. I believed the Dark Side had enormous power and as a small girl, I was even more convinced in it when Lord Vader freed me from my slavery. I was taken to a station, which I was later told was actually a superior weapon called the Death Star. I was excited to explore those new horizons ahead of me. Vader started my training from day one and he didn't skip a day. However, he kept me a secret. Maybe for some reason he didn't want the others to know he had an adopted daughter, so I was his and Sidious' secret. A few years later he died. He had said earlier that my training is finished and he had given me the title Sith Lord. I started taking on apprentices and teaching them the ways of the Dark Side. When the Empire got destroyed they all ran away, only two or three of them remained loyal. My father and Sidious were dead. I was the last living Sith Lord, maybe the last living piece of the mighty Empire and I was left without a choice. I went back on Tatooine and using my mastered skills I managed to give freedom to my mother. We moved to a quiet little house and I kept training my skills every single day. I set my purpose to rebirth the Empire, it was almost a duty to Lord Vader for everything he did for me, only that it had turned into a goal, something I _want_ and am not _obligated by duty_ to do. It was my destiny. One day I found out that someone was after the same goal - rebirthing the Empire, but as I found out - rebirthing it in the face of the First Order. I started asking around, collecting information about the so-called First Order. Some quality information that I could actually make use of was that they're using stormtroopers like the Empire used to. However, they weren't cloned, they were taken from their parents at birth and trained to ensure maximum security. I thought this was a dead end for me to make my way into the First Order, but it turned out to be...probably the only open door. Soon after, a ship of the First Order landed on Tatooine, I sure felt lucky. I could have just sneaked on the ship, but that wouldn't have gotten me very far. Instead, I caught one of the stormtroopers, I killed him, took his armor and since then I pretended to be him. I couldn't make friends amongst the stormtroopers, because the fellow stormtrooper of theirs I had killed was a man, and had they seen my face or only heard my real voice I would have been compromised. I had to work on the voice modulator of the mask and even though it was quite a tricky job I managed to fulfill my goal. And so, I was happy to serve the Dark Side as a stormtrooper, only that I missed using my long acquired skills and I allowed myself to use them during some missions. That's what caught me under Captain Phasma' suspicion. Then you announced you needed a replacement for one of the Knights of Ren and I was surprised I was turned to for that. My explanation was that the Force granted me what I deserved. That's when I hit the bottom. I hadn't planned this, so my only choice was to escape and come up with a plan without being compromised. Luckily, I fell upon your hands and here I am - ready to serve the First Order for the sake of my beloved long gone Empire."

"That's quite an interesting and, I admit, intriguing story you have. You're quite a mastermind if you have come up with all those plans all alone." Ren stated, actually impressed by the skills of the young one.

"I have always acted alone. You can't trust anybody anymore. You'll either be used or crushed. I had been used for 7 years of my life, so I learned to trust myself only."

"You're a wise one. I could make a great apprentice out of you. Or even better, as promised - Knight of Ren." Kylo started making circles back and forth with arms crossed behind his back.

"I'm ready to serve, master Ren. And I believe there's still a lot to learn."

"You must prove your loyalty first. After your little escape it's under suspicion. I hope it wouldn't be a problem for you."

"I'll prove whatever I have to. What should I do?"

"Nothing much, just prove you're really here for the good of the First Order. You'll be providing me information, correcting me if I happen to be wrong, advising me, just work on the same wavelength as us, just like you've used to do as a stormtrooper."

"Yes, sir. I hope that excludes the restraints."

"Oh, I'm bothered to remove them, knowing I'm honored to have the last living Sith Lord on board." Ren leaned in closer to her face, talking in her ear with somewhat a threatening tone.

"I'm sorry that the incredibly skilled Master of the Knights of Ren is feeling threatened by...what did you call me? Little girl?" The redhead smirked.

"You've got courage. But be careful, I'm not a patient person." He threatened again.

"I'm aware of that, sir. But I don't feel threatened."

"Well, I guess you should be. Now, if you give me some time I promise you'll be freed from these restraints. Patience." Ren turned around, taking his mask and making his way out.

"I have all the patience in the world." She said after him, making him stop for a second and then continuing on his way. She was deriding him again.


	3. Left In The Past

In Dark Places

 _Part 3: "Left In The Past"_

Ren made big steps towards the hologram room with his slender legs. He was headed to update Supreme Leader Snoke on their current progress, achievement, if you want. He put his mask back on. He still couldn't realize how he had the luck out of everyone to have on board someone that is half a creation of Vader himself, a piece of the past, a child of the Empire. He had always thought those were rumors, that it was impossible or too good to be true – that someone who had an impact with the Death Star was still alive. Yet there he was, he had a strong weapon made by his grandfather himself, a weapon in the face of the girl. He was strongly convinced that when their powers unite, that would make the First Order unstoppable.

"Supreme Leader Snoke..." The Knight entered the room and knelt down in front of the hologram respectively. "I've got…interesting news for you, Supreme Leader." Ren rose back to his feet.

"Do tell."

"We've had Lord Vader's adopted daughter on board for about 2 years and we had no idea."

"How is that possible?" Snoke clenched his teeth.

"She had been hiding under the mask of a stormtrooper."

"That's an interesting turn of events. Everybody thought she had died along with the Death Star."

"You knew about her?"

"Yes, some of her students ended up as prisoners and when interrogated, they pointed some Lord Edenia as their master, but we knew who that was, they thought she had died. They clearly underestimated her power."

"She knows the Empire up close, she'll be of great help."

"Yes, train her to obey your orders. With such power in her hands she's probably very wayward."

"Yes, Supreme Leader." Ren bowed down and the hologram dissolved into the darkness. He walked out and head back to his prisoner's room.

When Ren walked in, (Y/N)'s eyes were closed, she was meditating as much as her current position allowed. She slowly opened them when she felt his presence in the room.

"Do you have a lightsaber?" His mechanical voice ruined the silence.

"I don't have just any lightsaber; I have Lord Vader's lightsaber." (Y/N) smirked.

"That's impossible."

"And so was my existence only minutes ago. Believe me, master Ren. If we're going to work together the trust must be a two-way road."

"Indeed it must." Ren thought over her words for a second, then he considered she has been tied up for long enough already. "I believe you'd rather take off the stormtrooper armor, which can't really happen when your hands and legs are tied." With that being said, Ren removed the restraints and (Y/N) stretched out.

"Now that's a good feeling. So…what's the plan?" She crossed her arms.

"I'll show you your room, so you can take off that armor. You have the rest of the day off. You need to sleep, I'm sure you're tired." Ren explained as they walked out and (Y/N) followed him to their destination down the long corridor.

"I appreciate your concern. It was quite an adventure."

"Indeed it was. It's going to get even more interesting, I assure you." They stopped in front of a double metal door; Ren opened it and crossed his arms behind his back. (Y/N) stood still for a second, but then she realized she had to enter.

"Now that's a big window. And a beautiful view." The girl ran to the enormous window and gazed at the beauty of the wide open space discovering in front of her eyes.

"Do you like it?" He approached her from behind and she turned around to face him.

"Yes, thank you, sir."

"Have a good rest." The tall man said emotionlessly, walked out of the room and the door closed behind him. The redhead smiled mischievously to herself at her success. She looked at the stormtrooper helmet and her face darkened. She started taking off the armor pieces slowly. She had been hiding behind that mask for so long and the time had finally come to leave it behind. It was almost unnatural not to be wearing that mask. This saddened her, this was all she had just a few hours ago – this was her world and personality.

(Y/N) took the armor and headed to Captain Phasma's division.

"Hello, Captain Phasma." The redhead started with a sad tone.

"May I help you?" The captain didn't seem to recognize the girl so (Y/N) gave her the armor and Phasma looked at the chest piece where the number was written on the inside.

"I'm here to return the armor, captain."

"DA-0666?" Phasma asked confused as she lift her eyes from the chest piece. (Y/N) nodded in confirmation. "The lists show and I remember you to be a 25 year old man. And you don't look like a 25 year old man to me."

"I killed him two years ago on Tatooine and took his place." She admitted with both a sad and ashamed look written on her face.

"That says a lot. It's magnificent how you remained unsuspected for such a long time. Yet you turned out to be one of my best soldiers."

"I'm going to miss being a part of the team, captain."

"And I'm glad you used to be a part of it. What is your purpose now? Are you becoming a Knight of Ren as promised?"

"Yes, but first I have to win the master's trust and prove my loyalty after my whole play."

"Don't disappoint the master. It might cost you dearly."

"Yes, captain. Have a good day." (Y/N) saluted Phasma one last time with a sad smile on her face and walked away, heading for her room. The girl was dead tired. It was all a little too much for one day. She took off her clothes and pulled the covers over her body, falling asleep in a little over a minute.

There was somebody who still couldn't sleep. Ren was tortured by unanswered questions and curiosity. Did she really have Vader's lightsaber? That, he decided to find out by himself. He figured she must be already sleeping, so getting in her room and just giving an eye to the lightsaber wouldn't be a problem. He clenched his fists and headed for (Y/N)'s room. He opened the door and prayed that she was sound asleep enough to not be awakened by the noise of the opening door. He silently approached her bed. She was deep asleep and she looked harmless, unlike when she was awake – then she looked like the Dark Side of the Force in flesh and blood. The object of his…desire…caught his eye, shining from the weak space light coming from the window. The lightsaber was left on the night stand and he carefully stretched out his hand to take it. (Y/N) awakened, triggered by feeling the movement nearby. Her eyes sharply opened, she stretched out her hand, took the sword with the Force and turned it on, pointing it close to the intruder's neck.

"Is that what you're looking for?" She hissed through her clenched teeth, pointing to the lightsaber with her chin.

"Was it that obvious?" Ren kept his stone cold expression and confidence even with a lightsaber an inch away from his neck.

"That particular move, yes. I guess it's a tie now. You had me with a lightsaber to my neck – I have you with a lightsaber to your neck. That's not a way to win someone's trust, master Ren. Here," - she turned off the lightsaber and threw it for him to catch – "take a look." Ren caught the lightsaber and looked at it closely, studying every detail with his eyes. (Y/N) covered her almost naked body with the covers.

"It is indeed Vader's lightsaber." He gave it back to the girl and looked her dead in the eyes.

"Now, if you have what you came for…" She tilted her head to the door, meaning it's time for him to leave and looked in his eyes. He still had the same angry flame in his eyes. He was pissed that he had gotten caught. He eyed her from head to toe and after shooting another killer glance at her eyes, he turned around and left the room.


	4. Not So Impenetrable

In Dark Places

 _Part 4: "Not So Impenetrable"_

(Y/N) opened her eyes sleepily and stretched out her arms. It was a late hour in the morning, she had slept for 14 hours straight and she felt like she had over-slept. After all, she had work to do.

"Oh…" She muttered sleepily, ruffling her hair as she recalled midnight's unexpected visitor. She crawled out of bed and started getting ready. Duty was calling and she had to prove herself, she had to…impress…the master, even though she had already impressed him, if she could say so herself.

The huge metal double door opened and a not-so-tall figure entered the command room. She was all dressed in black, with a corset and a cape, she looked like a real Sith Lord. Kylo Ren turned around at the sound of the opening doors; he knew who was going to enter. The redhead looked ruthless – she was making fast steps, her look was confident, she looked like she would crush everything in her way. She was determined to prove everything that she was asked to prove. Ren watched her as she approached and he allowed himself a slight corner smile since no one could see it under the mask. However, he was paranoid that there is someone who could.

"What do we have?" (Y/N) turned to Ren.

"Who is the lady?" General Hux asked, unfamiliar with the girl.

"Lady?!" The girl's jaw dropped in disappointment. She hated being called a "lady".

"This is my new apprentice, General – (Y/N). And she, as the last living Sith Lord prefers the title "lord". She's also a future Knight of Ren." He introduced her proudly.

"So the rumors are true. Welcome to the crew." Hux turned to the girl.

"Thank you, General."

"We have located the map to Skywalker. We have reasons to believe it's in a droid." Hux explained, looking at Ren, then to (Y/N) and back to Ren.

"Where is it currently located?" (Y/N) asked.

"Jakku." The general answered.

"Jakku?! That junkyard?!"

"What move would _you_ recommend?" Ren turned to (Y/N). She seemed puzzled, she didn't expect that move, it seemed too easy.

"The stormtroopers. We need that droid, don't we?" She said confidently. "I want to be a part of the team."

"No, you're no longer a trooper, besides there's something else we've got to do." Ren's word was law for (Y/N) as she knew there was no place for errors. Her face darkened.

"Yes, sir." She looked to the ground.

"Prepare the stormtroopers, general and bring me that droid. And you are coming with me." Ren ordered and (Y/N) followed him.

"Where are we going?" The girl asked, trying to keep up with Ren's pace who was walking towards the hologram room quickly.

"I'm going to introduce you to Supreme Leader Snoke." The tall man said, making (Y/N) sigh in disappointment. She had built an opinion for him and it wasn't really positive. They entered the room and bowed down to the Leader.

"I have brought you the girl, Supreme Leader." Ren looked up.

"Welcome to the crew, Lord Edenia. It's an honor having a Sith Lord from the old Empire on board. I heard about what you've done. It's impressive, but…reckless." (Y/N) let out a small chuckle at the last word.

"Thank you, Supreme Leader."

"Tell me, how dedicated are you to your beliefs? How deep is your commitment to the Dark Side? Can you be trusted?"

"I have been on the Dark Side since I can remember. I owe the Dark Side everything, since it made me everything that I am. As Darth Vader's apprentice it is my purpose to serve the Dark Side and make it the biggest power in the galaxy. As of the current circumstances, this must happen in the face of the First Order. I assure you that I have no interest in betraying the First Order." She talked confidently, convincingly and with passion. Deadly passion.

"Yes, I feel your commitment. I expect you to become one of the Knights of Ren, but this must be decided by their master."

"She will, without a doubt, win her place amongst them, am I right…Lord Edenia?" Ren said, as the master of the Knights himself.

"Yes, master." The girl looked to the ground as a sign of respect and obedience.

"Good." Snoke grunted. "Is there any progress?"

"We found that the map is in a droid, on Jakku. A team was sent to capture it." Kylo explained.

"Good. Let me know when there is further progress." Snoke ordered and leaned back on his throne.

"Yes, Supreme Leader." Both (Y/N) and Ren bowed down and walked out of the room.

There was nothing to do and (Y/N) was bored. Kylo Ren should have let her go with the stormtroopers. _*Maybe he is free to talk?*_ She thought to herself. She started looking around for him – the command room, the hologram room; he wasn't even in his own room. Finally, she found him staring out the huge panorama window in a conversation room. When the doors opened, Ren didn't turn around, he had felt her coming.

"Resting, master?" (Y/N) walked up to him and studied the view out the window.

"Enjoying the results of my hard work." Kylo corrected her and she nodded. He walked away and proceeded to take off his mask, then he took his previous place beside her. She took her time to study the features of his face all over again and to think over how freely he decided to take off his mask for her, even though he wasn't obligated to. She found him to be quite sympathetic. What she didn't like was how emotionless and cold he was. "What do you think of Supreme Leader Snoke?" Ren asked, looking into her eyes.

"I don't like him, master." She looked to the ground guiltily.

"Why is that? The Leader is wise."

"No doubt, he is, I just feel something's not right around him."

"You'll get used to it."

"No, not this. I've got a bad feeling. But I must obey, right?" She looked in his eyes again.

"Oh, yes." They both looked through the window again. Ren thought how nice the word "obey" had rolled off her tongue. After a short silence (Y/N) sharply turned to him and studied his frame.

"You know, you can't hide your past self behind the mask forever, master. Everyone knows a real person hides behind it." She ruined the silence.

"No, Ben Solo is dead. It's only me now."

"Sure." She pretended to believe him.

"You don't believe me?" Ren looked at her again.

"No, master, I don't. Not because I don't actually believe you, but because I can see and I can feel through you without even reading your mind. The person with the mask is ruthless, cold, almost inhuman, confident, while the person under the mask is insecure and hurt…and maybe afraid…" She tried to study the features of his face, to find a trace of an emotion and to find words in his eyes. But nothing.

"Don't analyze me." His soft tone echoed as an order, remaining as emotionless as before.

"I feel your pain…but don't worry, we're all afraid. After all, that's the path to the Dark Side." She gave him a trustful look. "I'll bother you no more." The redhead patted him on the shoulder and headed for the door.

"You're not bothering me." His voice echoed in the wide room and this time there was some uncatchable emotion in it.

"Sure." (Y/N) smirked and walked out. Ren was confused. He thought he could hide behind the mask, but she could see through it…beyond. Deep inside it warmed his heart that she could read him as easily, that meant someone could understand him. Yet he didn't want to seem vulnerable, not even for a second.


	5. Closer

In Dark Places

 _Part 5: "Closer"_

It was a sleepless night for (Y/N). She was shifting around in bed in attempt to get some shut eye before the time has come to get up. What wasn't letting her sleep, in reality, were her thoughts. She was thinking of Kylo Ren. He had taken off his mask in front of her again and she knew that he doesn't simply take off his mask; it was like letting down his guard in front of her. She found him to be very handsome, but she also found something disturbing. His eyes were beautiful, but empty. Despite the mess inside his head, his look wasn't giving away anything; it was as empty as his emotion-drained tone. She had never seen eyes like his. _*Yeah, he's handsome.*_ She admitted to herself and smacked herself in the face. Was she really having those thoughts about her new master? The answer became even clearer, when she decided to see him again – that's when the craziest idea came to her restless mind. She was going to see him while he was sleeping. She figured the door to his room would be locked, after all no one can disturb the master, but then again, nothing was locked for the Force.

(Y/N) impatiently crawled out of bed, put on her black cape and headed for Kylo Ren's room. She was extremely cautious not to be seen by somebody that she enters his room, who knows what they could think. The redhead looked around one last time before she stopped in front of his door. It was locked, just like she suspected. She waved her hand and the door opened, making her heart rate increase. However, the locked door was the slightest problem and she didn't even realize. Ren was awake. He was also tortured by his thoughts. He was thinking of (Y/N)'s words from earlier that day. He wanted to know why he was so see-through for her and what was going on in her very head. He felt her presence when she entered, but he was curious to see what she would do. _*That's a spacious room.*_ (Y/N) thought to herself as she looked around. She stepped towards the bed slowly and carefully. She stopped beside his bed – his eyes were closed and she thought he was sleeping. He looked like a whole different person. Pale white skin, raven black hair and perfectly shaped pink lips. _*Very handsome indeed.*_ The girl thought to herself. Suddenly, Ren's eyes opened and (Y/N)'s heart skipped a beat.

"What are you doing here?" Ren' sleepy voice ruined the silence.

"I may have come to take a look at your lightsaber." (Y/N) tried to twist things around until she comes up with an excuse – she didn't expect to fail.

"And kill me with it?" Ren suggested.

"Come, come, master. By your logic, I should be afraid, because last night you had come to kill me in my sleep, is that correct?" (Y/N) smirked and crossed her arms, deriding her master to prove him wrong. Ren looked away in attempt to hide his slight smile, his dry humor failed him.

"Take it." He pointed to where the lightsaber was left and ran a hand through his hair sleepily.

"We'll leave it for another time, you need a sleep." She put a strand of hair behind her ear. "Goodnight, master Ren." She took a last glance of his eyes and left the room. Ren traced her with his eyes as she graciously walked out of the room. He liked the way she walks, the way she talks. He couldn't deny even in front of himself that she was very attractive. After this visit of hers, he was even more dying to get inside her head.

(Y/N) was suddenly woken up by a touch on her cheek. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was Kylo Ren's visage. He was unmasked again and he was looking down on her. She sighed heavily and covered her head with a pillow. She hadn't slept enough. Ren took away the pillow from her, making her sigh disappointedly again.

"What's going on?" (Y/N) looked at him sleepily.

"We're going out for a walk." Ren announced. (Y/N) looked at him with confusion, wondering if she heard correctly. "What? Do you want to stay inside the base forever?"

"No!" (Y/N) quickly sat up.

"Good. Then get ready." He ordered calmly. (Y/N) fell back down on the bed.

"I still need to sleep." She sighed. Ren exhaled deeply. He was running out of patience. With just a wave of the hand he threw the covers off the girl. "Fine." She got up and started dressing. Despite how tempted he was to look, Ren controlled himself and turned to the window.

"Disobeying already?" He teased with the same even tone.

"If you allow me to disagree, this is not disobedience, master Ren." (Y/N) explained as she was tying her corset. "I would call it…a delay of obedience. It looks like no one has really disobeyed you if you consider that to be disobedient."

"That's correct. No one has, they're too afraid to disobey." Ren stated proudly.

"I guess I should be careful too, then. The problem is I don't really feel threatened."

"I hope you don't feel secured." He teased again. Somehow he managed to give just the meaning to his words he wanted and still sound as impartial as always.

"Oh no, not for a second have I allowed myself this…luxury. I just know I'll be doing my work as expected from me."

"I really hope so, for your own good. Do you need help with that?" He turned around as he sensed the girl still struggling with the corset.

"I thought you weren't looking." She angrily let go of the ties. "And I appreciate your concern, but I can do it myself." She explained as she tried to tie the corset again, but Ren ignored her. With just a few steps he stopped behind her and took the ties from her hands. She exhaled disappointedly.

"You've messed them up." He pulled the ties and tightened the corset around her small frame. "Is that good?" His soft tone echoed and she felt her skin crawl. "Or should I tighten it a little more?" The words were just rolling off his tongue as he said them ever so silently, almost as a whisper.

"Just a little tighter." (Y/N) said with an even-tempered tone, keeping her senses under control. "That's good. Thank you, master."

"Get dressed well. You're already cold and it's definitely not the desert outside." Ren explained as he tied the corset and tried to delicately point out he noticed her crawling skin.

"Yes, master. Did the stormtroopers get the droid?" (Y/N) asked as she started running her hairbrush through her red curls.

"No, the droid escaped."

"Escaped?! How did the droid escape the stormtroopers?" Her jaw dropped and she stopped brushing her hair.

"It had help. They flew away with a ship."

"A ship? What ship? Is it fast? Are we after it?"

"We're after it. Does the Millennium Falcon mean anything to you?"

"The Millennium Falcon?" She wondered. "Han Solo's ship – your father." She smirked as she knew how Ren felt about his father. His face darkened a bit. "That's going to be a tough one, isn't it master Ren?" The girl took her lightsaber. Ren didn't say a word and she patted him on the shoulder. "Let's go."

(Y/N) set a foot in the snowy terrain outside the base and smiled. It was long ago the last time she felt the cold of the snow on her skin. She was used to the blinding sands of the desert, the faceless walls of the Death Star and the Star Killer Base. Her smile melted like the snow melted into water at the touch of the texture of her leather glove. Kylo Ren was waiting for her patiently with his hands crossed behind his back.

"So, where are we going?" She asked and Ren headed for the nearby forest. She followed him.

"Mission after mission and you never even gotten a chance to enjoy the snow?" Ren asked as he made slow steps through the heavy snow, walking past the naked trees. (Y/N) shook her head.

"May I ask you something, master Ren? Why all the hostility for your parents, and especially – for your father?" The girl changed the topic as he hadn't said a word at the mention of his father's name.

"They are the thing pulling me back to the light. I won't go back. In order to be free of this burden they must be destroyed."

"You think that's the mistake Lord Vader made, don't you? You think they are the reason for your suffering. They're not. It's you and only you. There's probably still light inside of you trying to get out. It's not your family. You should learn to appreciate family." The girl bravely stated without even looking at him. Her tone was convincing enough, yet he wouldn't listen. Ren stopped and turned to face her, making her stop and face him too.

"You're brave, a little too brave and courageous to ask me these things. It is almost…annoying, that courage. Aren't you afraid for that red head of yours?" He asked, his tone rough and unforgiving.

"Oh, I'm sorry that I tried to lead a normal conversation unlike everyone around you, master Ren. It must be such a strike for you – to have somebody in the crew that treats you as an equal, even though they're much below you. That's in no way a lack of respect, if that's how you see it. It's quite the opposite, in fact. And to answer your question, my red head is safe. We both know you wouldn't kill me for one reason, a reason that is enough for all – there's too much of Vader's hands written all over me."

"Smart girl. Is that so?"

"Want to fight me over it?" (Y/N) pulled out her lightsaber and turned it on.

"Don't make me hurt you." Ren unleashed his own lightsaber too.

"I'm not convinced you'd be able to, even if you wanted to. Or it's just me being foolish."

"Brave. I'm still not sure if I like that quality of yours or if it's a total downside to me, _a threat even_." The Knight was feeling torn apart. His feelings were chaotic. He felt…desire. He knew he shouldn't kneel down to it, but he didn't want to push it aside as well. The young girl in front of him he had known in reality only for a few days, but she made him curious, she made him question his moves, his motives, his thoughts. Was he supposed to obey the desire or stay as strong in his own eyes as before? To him, submitting to desire was a failure, a step back, yet the desire was burning him. His desire was the color of her lips – red, and even redder exposed to the merciless cold air surrounding them and invading their lungs. "Let's see how well you possess the lightsaber."

"May I?" (Y/N) looked over to his lightsaber in her want to fill his shoes for a minute and see what it's like to fight with that kind of a lightsaber. Ren in his turn was dying to feel Vader's own lightsaber in his hands and couldn't say no. They switched weapons and started studying them with their eyes. "I should really give an eye to the mechanism of that saber." The redhead said fascinatedly and made the first move without Ren expecting it. He blocked the attack.

"I am already familiar with that move, Lord Edenia." Ren pointed out and on his turn attacked her. She didn't fail to fight back.

"That's a heavy saber, master Ren." (Y/N) said as she made her attacks more aggressive and merciless.

"You seem to swing it well." The knight didn't hesitate to go as hard as her, he knew she could handle it. (Y/N) smirked; the fight seemed to be fun for her.

"I'm finally fighting someone who can actually fight." She hissed through her teeth and swung the sword around before attacking again.

"You're not supposed to be enjoying this." Ren hissed and pushed her carefully against a rock. He threw the lightsaber aside, he pinned her right hand – the one holding his saber – above her head and grabbed her left wrist. "Consider yourself defeated." He announced looking in her eyes and holding her against the rock with the weight of his body. Feeling her chest rising and falling intensely against his awoke the desire in him again. It seemed like her red lips were calling for him – slightly open, gasping for air. Red and soft – so inviting. He had the chance and he wouldn't let it slip away. His choice was to submit to the desire. Letting go of her left wrist, he gently wrapped his hand around her neck. He laid his lips upon hers and hungrily shoved his tongue inside her mouth. The fire inside him was burning even stronger now that she was under his power and she was finally vulnerable. His tongue was caressing hers with thirst, with untamable passion. They pulled away and looked into each other's eyes. They both didn't know what to feel, but (Y/N) was even more confused than he was.

"We're not done yet." The redhead hissed, still holding on tightly to the lightsaber in her hand. Ren took it from her hand, switching it off and throwing it aside in the snow.

"You're right." His tone came out hoarse and he forced his tongue into her mouth again. This time she didn't hesitate and she put her hands on his shoulders, since he was significantly taller than her. A moan unconsciously escaped her lips as they were kissing passionately. When they finally separated again, the silence was destructive. Confusion fell down upon them again and neither of them knew what to say as neither of them could realize what had happened. Was it real or not?

"We should keep walking with our lightsabers put away or someone could get hurt accidentally."

"So, challenging someone to a fight is "accidental" to you?" They both pretended nothing had happened. (Y/N) stretched out her hand and by the ways of the Force, she took the lightsabers.

"So it turns out." She passed him his lightsaber and continued walking forward.

They both walked in complete silence with heads hung low. A word was rarely to escape their lips. Neither of them dared to mention what had happened and they couldn't get their heads around it. But they both felt it, they knew they did and something had to be done to either destroy the desire or let it be.


	6. Trust

In Dark Places

 _Part 6: "Trust"_

(Y/N) was summoned in the command room.

"What's happening?" She turned to General Hux. Kylo Ren was standing beside Hux with his mask in all his glory, looking the way he had always looked for the 2 years she had served as a stormtrooper.

"We've got the Falcon on our scanners." Ren rushed to answer her question.

"I'd be surprised if you didn't, Han Solo is wanted throughout the whole galaxy. So what is our plan of destruction?"

"Destruction? We need the droid." The masked man wondered.

"Okay then, we get the droid and then boom! We destroy the ship."

"Maybe we shouldn't plan that much ahead, Lord Edenia." Hux calmly noted.

"You're right. I shall keep quiet." (Y/N) had a lot on her nerves. She wanted the rebels dead and she wanted it as soon as possible. She stepped away from the two men and supported herself on the stone-cold railing, gripping it tightly.

"Can your troopers bring the droid unharmed?" Ren asked Hux.

"I won't have you questioning my methods." Hux hissed back.

"The send them over to the spot." Ren ordered and angrily stormed off. "Come with me." He ordered as he stormed by the girl.

"Yes, sir!" She decided it wasn't a good idea to ask questions, she just followed him quietly. They entered the conversation room and (Y/N) sat down on the leather couch. Ren also sat down beside her, unsealed his helmet and rested his elbows on his thighs. (Y/N) looked in his eyes and felt as though she was being pierced by them.

"Something seems to be disturbing you." Kylo Ren noticed. The girl didn't say a word. "May I ask what it is?"

"Everything." (Y/N) hissed.

"I sense your anger. Why the rush to destroy the Falcon? You knew the droid is on board." He calmly asked.

"I want all the rebels dead. I want them wiped out."

"There seems to be a personal matter behind that hatred."

"They're the ones who took everything away from me. The Death Star, Lord Vader, they were everything to me besides my mother. I don't even know if I still have a mother! It's been two years since I last saw her." She spoke quickly and angrily.

"You want revenge."

"Of course I want revenge!"

"Good. Is there something else?"

"The question is does something bother you? You know you can tell me." The girl said, calmer than before. Ren sighed and hesitated for a while.

"Nothing untraditional, just chaotic thoughts and questions without answers." He was talking calmly, silently; there wasn't a trace of the anger that had taken him over only minutes ago. She observed his lips as he spoke. She sighed.

"You're not as bad as you think and present yourself to be, master."

"You've got a wrong impression for me I see." He looked away from her eyes. "And you're not as tough as you think you are. You've got your weakness too."

"Ouch, that hurt. The Empire has stricken back." (Y/N) replied sarcastically. "Don't take my trust for a weakness, master Ren."

"Trust?"

"Yes, trust. That's what we're still fighting for, isn't it?" The redhead left the question hang in the silence between them. She rose to her feet and walked out. They had gotten pretty sharp in attempt to be honest and straight-forward with each other. The tension needed time to fade away.

General Hux called Kylo Ren and (Y/N) into the command room. Things had gotten pretty intense recently and they were always on the call.

"The Millennium Falcon, it has taken off, sir." He notified Ren. This time he wasn't masked and the way the anger was written on his face could be clearly seen.

"Do we know where they are going?" Ren asked impatiently.

"No, sir. And there is...another problem. They probably figured they would be followed, so they have taken a course through an asteroid field. We won't be able to trace them on our scanners and the shuttles are too big to pass through the asteroids." The knight's jaw was tightening from all the anger building up. There wasn't much to be done.

"Send a shuttle after them!" He ordered in his anger.

"Sir, it's too dangerous. We might not be able to get out of there with a shuttle." Hux tried to keep his calm tone, his master was far too angry already anyways.

"Master Ren, if you allow me to intrude you, I've got another idea. We can use a tie fighter to follow them, the tie fighters are maneuverable enough to avoid the asteroids and they're also fast enough." (Y/N) explained quickly to her master, who seemed to get angrier after each word of hers.

"We can't risk it. We can't risk sending anything out there. We need a good pilot." Ren protested.

"We're wasting time! We _have_ a good pilot! Look, you'll either let them go and risk to lose their tracks or you will _trust me!_ " (Y/N) shouted back at her master, making him think twice.

"Then it is settled, you're flying the tie fighter."

"I'm liking this plan already."

"But I'm coming with you in case you decide to do something incredibly…reckless." He hissed angrily at her.

"Why wait then?" She smiled sarcastically at him. "Prepare the tie fighter, if you please, general." She almost ordered and stormed off to the airfield. Kylo Ren followed her with zero anticipation. They sat in the tie fighter back to back and tightened their seatbelts. "I hope you have a strong stomach, this is not going to be a pleasant ride." (Y/N) marked with a smirk. She was finally flying a tie fighter and was actually being involved in a mission.

"Since when is crashing into an asteroid pleasant?"

"You still don't trust me. Hold on tight in that case." They took off and (Y/N) switched to maximum speed.

"Just remember, we're tracing them, we shouldn't be seen. The moment we find out where they're landing we're turning back and sending a team."

"And I'll be damned if I'm not on the team."

"We'll see about that." Ren strongly noted. Despite all he didn't want to risk sending her out on the battlefield. Those words of him disappointed her. They entered the asteroid field and (Y/N) started expertly avoiding each and every one of them, standing on a reasonable distance from the Millennium Falcon. The master was impressed by how well she controlled the aircraft; she didn't exaggerate when she called herself a good pilot. There was definitely a lot of Vader in her, even though not by blood. They were out of the asteroid field and (Y/N) saw they're approaching a planet. That was where the Falcon was going to land.

"It's Takodana." (Y/N) stated with a proud smirk as she recognized the planet.

"Have you been there before?"

"No, I have not, but I've heard things. I might even know a probable destination which they might choose. Solo is a smuggler, smugglers reside among other smugglers and where there are smugglers and other space…scum…there are spies."

"Maz Kanata's castle." Ren concluded from the redhead's description. "Han Solo knows her."

"Do you have an idea what business he might have there?"

"No. Information seeking, probably. You can learn a lot for all around the galaxy from all the scum gathering there. We're turning back. We have what we need."

"Are you certain about that? We could deal with him."

"I suspect we might need a bigger crew. We don't know if he has allies in Kanata's castle. We don't know enough to proceed. We've taken enough risks already." He hinted. Said and done. (Y/N) obeyed and turned the tie fighter around.

They landed back on the Star Killer base airfield and undid their seatbelts. (Y/N) rose to her feet and turned around, but her further movement was prevented by Ren. He was already standing in front of her and he put a finger under her chin, making her look in his eyes.

"That was very reckless of you. We cannot allow ourselves to make errors now." Ren spoke silently against the girl's lips. His tone was threatening.

"But we succeeded, didn't we? I wouldn't have suggested it if I wasn't sure I could do it."

"You still haven't learned to obey. You _must_ obey."

"A habit can hardly be crushed, master. Excuse my boldness, but you fail to acknowledge the fact that sometimes you make reckless and hasty decisions yourself. Letting them go was one of them. I just tried to correct you because you happened to be mistaken, it's human, it happens." She explained calmly and silently.

"Don't defy me. This shouldn't happen again. Did I make myself clear?"

"Yes, master." The look of guiltiness was written on her face – she had opposed her master again. He, however, felt guilty that he had pushed her so much. After all, no matter how reckless the plan was, it did work and yet he had her against the wall for it. Now he could read a trace of regret in her eyes and they were almost tearing up. He felt guilty and he had to get it off his shoulders. He pressed his lips to her and slid his tongue inside her mouth for just a moment, after which he pulled away. He was still afraid of being close to her after what had happened in the forest, yet he couldn't kill the desire, the need, especially when she was so close to him and so vulnerable. She ran her tongue over her bottom lip and looked down, eyes veiled in unexplainable sadness. Ren wasn't any less confused, yet her taste was still on his tongue and he wanted more.


	7. Echoes From The Past

In Dark Places

 _Part 7: "Echoes From The Past"_

The current events were making (Y/N) uneasy. There was always something on her mind, torturing her and not letting her sleep. The only way to isolate the intrusion for a while was to keep herself busy. That's why she took permission from General Hux to dig into the archives and battle plans. Her head was busy and that was all that made her happy, at least for a while. However, her temporary peace was going to be ruined by Ren's egoistical needs. It wasn't long since he had last seen her, but he felt the stinging need to talk to her. As if her presence calmed him down. Since he couldn't find her anywhere, he had no choice, but to ask Hux.

"She asked for access to the battle plans and I granted it, I figured you wouldn't mind. She's probably still there. Is there something I need to know?" Hux threw a suspicious look at the knight.

"No, she's just nowhere to be found. You're free now." The tall man walked away, leaving the general with the suspicious look on his face.

Kylo Ren entered the semi-lit secret room and looked around just to find his precious apprentice sitting on the floor with thousands of papers lying around her.

"What are you doing here?" The mechanical voice echoed between the tight walls of the small room and (Y/N) looked up to see the one whom she associated the familiar sound with.

"Those are some interesting aircraft blueprints. I may even come to realize one of them someday."

"Some of them require hardly acquirable parts."

"This has never stopped me. What are _you_ doing here?"

"I was looking for you; Hux said I could find you down here."

"Traitor." She pretended to scowl. "Looking for me? Has something happened?"

"Nothing." Ren simply replied in order to avoid giving away the real reason why he was looking for her.

"And that's the reason I'm harbored here, because we're walking blindfolded into the dark without a strategy plan, master Ren." (Y/N) accented on his name and title in order to give it a note of blame.

"Because of the way events took turn we had to change our strategy. I've taken care of it and I assure you there is nothing irrational in the plan."

"Good."

"Do you have any suggestions after all the time spent here?"

"Yeah, I might have. Well, nothing in particular. But I believe I have something even better to offer. One of my…past apprentices…has ways of acquiring information from the Resistance. Well, at least two years ago he had, but I don't see a reason for him to have moved."

"Where is that source of yours located?" Ren asked and when the answer was on the tip of the girl's tongue, the realization struck her like thunder. Her throat went dry and she almost lost the ability to speak. Her head hung low.

"On Tatooine." She hardly even whispered the name of her birth planet as she lifted her teared up eyes to her master. He knew what that meant. Something else that was brought to his attention was that she didn't even try to hide her teared up eyes. She had showed herself weak in front of him or at least he figured it looks that way in her eyes. They were slowly stripping down their feelings and emotions for the other to see.

"Then we're going to Tatooine. Are you in condition to fly an aircraft?"

"Yes. This just…stabbed me in the back like a knife. Of course I am in condition." (Y/N) swallowed the tears.

"What do you want to fly?" He gave her the right to choose an option and that warmed her a little from within.

"A shuttle?" She asked hopefully. It was when the Empire still existed the last time she flew one.

"I'll order for the shuttle to be prepared for takeoff. And you better make some order in this chaos."

"Yes, master." Ren turned around to walk out and (Y/N) smiled mischievously behind his back. Her worry had melted, yet deep down the pain from the realization that what she might find there could break her was still lurking in her mind.

The young girl landed on the sandy terrain of Tatooine where she thought the shuttle would be safe, she knew the area like the palm of her hand.

"Alright, keep your senses sharp, master. The creatures here are sly. Look out for sand people. All in all, you might want to keep your hand on your lightsaber while we wander among them. They're not hostile, but strangers are not warmly welcomed, I don't even know if we will be recognized. Now let's hope our man hasn't decided to move to another system." (Y/N) explained as they walked through the civilized area.

"Rough conditions for survival. Maybe that's how your skills have been pushed to the extreme."

"It's much better here than on Jakku, for example. Most of us might have been slaves, but at least we have more natural survival resources." They entered a dead end street, at the end of which a massive tall building stood tall. "Here we are." (Y/N) announced and knocked on the door. The metal doors separated and a tall, blond, long-haired man appeared in front of them.

"Lord Edenia! What galactic storm brought you back here in the desert? Everyone thought you were dead." The man smiled warmly, unable to believe his eyes.

"I'm more alive than ever, as you can see. And I happen to be here because of you." (Y/N) smiled back. The master of the knights found that to be disturbing in a way, but decided to push that thought away.

"Oh, that's a surprise. Let's continue the conversation inside." They sat down and were approached by a WED Treadwell repair droid. The redhead was surprised to see a model like that still in existence; she hadn't seen one of those for a long time. Of course, there were robot parts everywhere. "I see you have brought the master of the knights of Ren with you. It's an honor to meet you at last, Lord Ren."

"Master Ren, this is my best and most loyal…past apprentice – Archer. After the Empire fell and I was forced to stop teaching siths, he became one of the best droid manufactures." (Y/N) introduced them.

"It's always an honor to meet an adept of the mighty Empire." Ren said. He was feeling a little tense to meet someone from (Y/N)'s past, especially someone who seems to be pretty close to her as his senses suggested.

"I'm sure there's quite a story behind this alliance." Archer noted.

"Yes, there sure is, but it is a story for another time. I need help from you." She finally got to the point.

"Help? What could I possibly be of help for to the mighty First Order, master?" The blond man smiled at (Y/N), a smile which showed respect for her authority.

"The same I needed two years ago. I need information from inside the Resistance; anything that you know could be useful."

"Well, I'm not very deep in the things currently, besides my source has been pretty silent recently. They're still after Skywalker, which you very well know. What I can tell you is that they recently had quite a few orders for astromech droids, some V1 series droids and also BB units. As you know, those are, before all, pilot droids, which in my opinion could suggest they're preparing an air attack, an air fleet, if you will." Archer explained professionally. "You should probably expect the Resistance as soon as they have you on their scanners is all I can tell you."

"Yes, you're probably right, Archer. Thank you, it's useful information." (Y/N) and Ren got up, preparing to leave.

"I wish I could have been of more help, but I'm afraid I'm too busy to be spying on the Resistance at this time."

"You were helpful enough, Archer, thank you." (Y/N) embraced her longtime friend warmly. "If I ever started training siths again, would you join me despite your current success?"

"Always follow the master." Archer smiled and bowed down slightly.

"What happened to the others? Are they dead?" (Y/N) asked about her other apprentices.

"Some of them are – killed by the Resistance. The others gave in to normal life, almost erasing the Force out of their lives, as if they were ashamed to have ever been a part of it."

"And yet you're still here, faithful, even after the debacle of our beloved Empire."

"The Dark Side is always calling. Come see me again someday, master Edenia." Archer said softly, with care, with the voice of love in disguise. He had always loved his master and always will, after so much time nothing changed. Yet he knew his place and dared not say a word.

"I will." The girl smiled warmly and looking over to Kylo Ren, she gave him a sign that they're leaving.

"You should go visit your mother." Archer raised his voice from behind the two distancing figures. (Y/N) stopped and sharply turned around.

"Is she alive?" She asked in disbelief, her eyes quick to tear up. The blond man only smiled as an answer. The girl was speechless. She didn't know if it was emptiness she feels or quite the opposite – the filling of emptiness. She kept walking straight to the shuttle with fast and unsecure steps with Kylo Ren beside her. She couldn't say a word and he thought it's better to leave her to her thoughts. Her pain was reflecting on him – he felt it all around.

They were about to get on the shuttle when (Y/N) stopped. Was she really going to leave without paying her mother a visit? Her mother – the one that stood up behind her despite her own beliefs, the one who could die any moment soon and she could never see her again. Ren felt her disturbance. He unsealed his helmet and looked at her, waiting for her incoming words. He saw that coming.

"Master Ren…could you please wait for me on board, I've got something to do." Her voice was trembling, she was on the verge of tears, yet she refused to give in. Ren only nodded, showing he understands. "Thank you!" She turned around with quick steps.

"If you're not back in two hours I'll come looking for you." He said from behind her, but she didn't even care to turn around as an indication that she heard him.

(Y/N) found the secluded little house. The childhood memories immediately struck her and she gave freedom to the tears that veiled her emerald eyes. She impatiently entered the house and saw a woman lying on the bed, tired, weary. Her lips were parted, gasping for air and her vision was blurred from all the tears.

"Mother…" She hardly whispered as she knelt beside the bed. She took her hand and pressed it to her damp cheek.

"(Y/N), is that you, my beautiful girl?" A weary smile bloomed on the lips of the old woman. "Yes, it's you, I know you by the devil curls and glimmering emeralds." (Y/N) tried to smile but her tears chocked her again.

"That's me, mother. I'm alive and well."

"I know you are, my girl. The last time I saw you, you were a real warrior. You couldn't have been simply killed. And you've grown up even more. You're dressed a slight bit little more like a woman." The mother teased and her daughter chuckled through her tears.

"I was a stormtrooper, mom. Now I'm almost one of the knights of Ren. I'm in the First Order." She proudly stated.

"Stormtroopers? Those horrible beasts? I don't believe it. But if you're happy, I'm happy too and you should know, that no matter how much I disapprove of everything you do, I'm proud that you've reached that far." (Y/N) knew her mother had always supported her, no matter she had always believed the Light will prevail. It hurt her knowing that her own mother had to watch her daughter turn into her worst nightmare and succumb to it.

"There's a lot to tell, mom. I'll come again soon for a little longer and we can talk for all that happened through those past two years." The young girl excitedly said, a little over-excitedly. The old woman let out a laugh, a laugh which came out as tortured.

"No, no, my darling, we don't have that time."

"What do you mean we don't have the time? We've got all the time in the world!" She naively said, in attempt to convince herself in her own words.

"I'm ill, (Y/N)…I'm dying…What was keeping me alive was you – the hope that I'll see you one last time before I die. Now that I have seen your beautiful face I can die in peace." Her mother caressed her cheek with a warm, motherly smile that held in it all her love for her daughter.

"No, no, no, don't say that! We can heal you!" The girl cried out. "Coming back here on Tatooine, I thought you were dead. Now I come to you and you're telling me that you're dying. Don't do this to me!" She whispered as she didn't have the strength to find her voice. She buried her head in her mother's neck and painfully gripped the sheets. "Don't do this to me!" She begged again. A single tear rolled down the old woman's face, the smile was still on her lips as she ran her fingers through her young lady's red curls.

"I love you, my dear. And whatever happens, never give in. You're a soldier…May the Force be with you…" The mother whispered those words before she exhaled for the last time. Her hand stopped moving, her chest stopped rising and (Y/N) froze. She looked up to her mother's face – her eyes were closed and her lips still had a smile on them – she had died in peace.

"No…no…no! No!" Her eyes scanned the body for any indications of life, refusing to believe. "No! Mother!" She cried out loudly. Panicked, her trembling fingers checked for pulse on the neck, but with no success. "No!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, her tears falling down her cheeks like waterfalls and her hands pulling her red hair. "Mother!" She screamed one more time, but no one could hear. Each movement of hers showed the pain, the helplessness, the weakness that she felt. She looked drained from life just as much as her now dead mother. She saw the medicine her old woman had been taking, left on the nightstand. She took the bottles and threw them to the wall, breaking them to million pieces, which described perfectly the way she was feeling.

In her anger and despair, (Y/N) took her mother's dead body and took it far away. She built a balefire and placed the body in it, setting it on fire. Watching her mother burn, she felt the anger and sorrow burning the same way inside of her, the flames reaching for the skies. Her body was shaking, her skin lost all the little color it had and her eyes drained of all life. She couldn't even cry anymore. The girl couldn't stay there anymore, she didn't want to. She took her mother's emerald necklace, which had been made to remind her of her daughter's eyes. Now that she was dead, she took it to remind her of her mother's love for her. Hanging it on her neck, she headed back for the space shuttle.

Time was running out and (Y/N) was making heavy and weary steps towards the ship. She could see Kylo Ren's tall black figure on the background of the sun setting behind his back. He was unmasked and it was a beautiful sight. However, she didn't have the strength to appreciate any of it – neither the handsomeness of the tall man waiting for her, neither the beauty of the sunset of her childhood.

"I was just about to go looking for you…" Ren started, but he felt all the anger, pain and hate gathering up in the small body of the girl. She was only steps away when he noticed the puffy, dry lips, the colorless skin, the empty eyes, the insecure steps. She had stopped crying, because she felt she couldn't anymore, but that was until she laid her eyes upon Kylo's. Tears started building up again and just as much as her posture looked threatening - just as hard she buried her face in his chest and dug her nails into the black cape on his shoulders. She let the tears run free. He was surprised, but despite his momentary hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her soothingly and insecurely, pressing her head to his chest as he stared at the darkening horizon. With the setting of the sun a hope died, but with the rising of the moon – a new was born.


	8. So I Made A Big Mistake

In Dark Places

 _Part 8: "So I Made A Big Mistake"_

(Y/N) and Kylo Ren set course back to the Star Killer Base. They were both silent throughout the flight. Ren didn't want to interrupt her thoughts; he knew that if he tried to soothe her he would only hurt her even more. He had never tried soothing anyone; he wasn't any good at this, that's why he didn't even push himself. Suddenly, (Y/N) felt too tired to pilot the shuttle and set the autopilot to do it for her. She stretched her arms and crossed them behind her head.

"We should be back on the Star Killer Base in about an hour." She turned to Ren with a perfectly even sounding voice, no emotion, nothing – just an announcement. She left the pilot seat and laid down on one of the leather couches. Her energy was too drained and she needed some shut eye. Ren followed her and after hesitating for a second, he sat beside the lying girl and looked in her eyes. She was a little confused as to what to expect, but she waited patiently for him.

"What happened?" He asked, trying to sound empathetic, but his voice came out just as impartial as always before.

"She was alive when I found her. She said what kept her alive was the hope that she would see me again one last time before she dies and…she died in my arms." Her voice trembled as she looked into his eyes and she tried to swallow the tears, but they streamed hot down her face despite all effort. She tried to hide her face in her hands. As a tear rolled down her cheek, Ren's hand caressed it and his thumb, covered with the leather glove, wiped the tear away. He looked into her eyes as he did that and for the first time she could see something in them, something which looked like compassion. There was no emotion written on the lines of his face, but as if his eyes were speaking to her, begging her not to cry. He found that seeing her cry wasn't making him feel right at all and he had never felt that before, he didn't even think a feeling like that existed.

"It happened and there's nothing you can do about it. Except fight. Life is a battlefield and this is a moment where you have to be stronger than ever in order not to be defeated."

"You're right, but…she was the last person I had left. My real father is dead – I have never even known him, Lord Vader is dead and he was like my actual father and now…my mother, the only one who I had left…she left me all alone, all by myself. I have always been alone, but not as alone as I am now. I have no family anymore." (Y/N) cried, feeling as weak as never before and the only one standing beside her in those rough times was the only person she trusted, a person whose face she even thought would never see.

"The anger and the pain will make you stronger."

"I can do this…" She closed her eyes tightly, trying to swallow her tears and convince herself in her own words.

"You can do this, but not before you stop crying. You can't allow yourself to do that."

"I know, and I've never before allowed it to myself, but I can't help it at this time. I'm so helpless, my hands are tied, I can't do anything about this and I've been through this before. I can't bring her back."

"No, you can't. No one can. Be strong, Edenia." He encouraged her and with a deep breath she swallowed her tears. This was the only way he could soothe her – tell her to fight, but he was right enough. The tears would only weaken her and she couldn't allow herself that. "I think you should get some sleep until we get back." Ren whispered, leaning closer to her and she slightly nodded before she closed her eyes. It wasn't long until she was sound asleep and calm in her dreaming. The knight watched her breathing turning back to normal and she was finally in peace. But her being asleep, meant that he had unlimited success to her mind. He excused himself in his mind with the pretext he wasn't going to dig around much, just find an answer to some questions. His hand hovered over her face and her mind was his. He saw different memories of hers, either happy or painful. He saw the day Vader took her away and introduced her to Lord Sidious; he saw an earlier memory of her running around with a little blond boy, which he supposed was Archer; he saw her teaching the siths the power of the Dark Side; he saw her sneaking unto the shuttle in the armor of a stormtrooper; he saw her memory of the forest where he kissed her for the first time; he saw the pain written on her face when she saw her mother die in her arms – the way she destroyed everything around and the way she burned her mother's body. But what he was looking for was too sacred to be found and she was keeping it somewhere deep in the back of her mind, where only she had access to, but even she denied to enter those dark parts of her consciousness.

Destination Star Killer Base was reached, but Ren didn't want to wake the sleeping girl up. He landed the shuttle all by himself. He covered his face with the mask again and took the girl princess style, carrying her on his arms to his very own room. He realized her condition is unstable and she'd be prone to getting in trouble, so he had to keep her under observation. He took off her cloak and her corset so she can breathe freely and he pulled the covers over her. After hesitating for a minute, he laid beside her after all. He was tired, too. He took a last glance over to the sleeping girl and he closed his eyes.

(Y/N) woke up, feeling much calmer and relaxed. The pain was still present and burning her, but she could suppress it. She looked around and discovered she's not in her own room. She looked to the left and saw her master sleeping beside her. For a moment she got freaked out, so she almost jumped out of the bed, but that's when Kylo Ren woke up and his eyes found hers.

"What am I doing here?" (Y/N) asked almost frightened.

"Sleeping. I couldn't just leave you alone in your room. After the traumatizing events you might decide to do something rather…stupid, so I decided to keep an eye on you." Ren explained calmly as if what was happening was a normal part of the everyday life.

"Even while I'm here, lying in your bed, you're still so arrogant." The girl shook her head almost in disgust, but she knew he was just that way and there was nothing she could to about it. Ren sat up.

"Arrogant?" He wrapped a hand around her neck gently and made her look in his eyes. "Is that what you think I am? Arrogant?" He asked in a quiet, threatening voice and the girl nodded. "Am I still as arrogant while I am practically holding your life in my hands and I can take it if I wish?"

"Yes, you are. But you wouldn't do it." The girl smirked. He pushed her back down on the bed and laid his hand on her chest.

"And you've still got a lot to learn."

"So do you. But then again, we're not flawless, let's not forget that. You make it sound as if our flaws are weaknesses, yet we just haven't learned all there is to learn." Her words were as merciless as his in this game, played by two. He gazed in her eyes, thinking over her words and trying to reach to what she was thinking. He couldn't. And as she was speaking of flaws, he felt a need he recently feels a lot, a need which he still described as a flaw, a weakness and it was the desire he felt. Beside all the harsh words and the arrogance, he still couldn't manage to stay away from her. He thought being rough and cold to her would keep them away from each other; she thought playing his game would also keep her away from him, but this only drew them closer. His hand moved from her chest back to her neck and he leaned down to kiss her. This time her lips were cold while they were the only warmth he longed for. He deepened the kiss and she buried her fingers in his raven black hair.

After all Ren had said and done, (Y/N) didn't know what to think anymore. He was being rude and cold and then he was trying to be nicer, he was distant and unreachable and the next moment his lips were on hers. What was it that was keeping them away from each other, she didn't know. Was it his arrogance, was it his incapability of maintaining a close relationship with another human being, was it her fault? She couldn't tell. Looking at the reflection in the mirror, she noticed she looks nothing like before. Things hadn't changed a lot, but at the same time nothing was the same. She put on her cloak and headed for the command room where she was summoned to. The doors opened and she entered with fast and confident steps, her look was cold and her posture was threatening. She headed directly for the two men waiting for her to share the information – Hux and Ren. She stopped beside Ren, without even looking at him and she directed her attention to Hux.

"Now that you're here, you must be informed that we finally are in position to capture the droid. Our fugitives are on Takodana, in Maz Kanata's castle. There's no way the droid isn't with them." Hux explained.

"So, do we have a plan?" (Y/N) asked impatiently. Ren turned to her, hoping she would take a single glance of him, but she didn't.

"We do. As we speak, the stormtroopers are getting ready to take off for the planet. The rest must be decided in action."

"And our primary weapon? Is it ready to be used?"

"Let's just say that in a few hours the Republic will be history."

"Thank you, General Hux." The Sith Lord slightly bowed down and she made her way out of the room. Ren was burning with anger for she didn't even acknowledge his presence, so he caught up with her. He stopped her, catching her roughly by the upper arm, making her turn around to face him. "What do you want?"

"Where do you think you are going?"

"On a mission."

"You're not going anywhere. You're staying here. It's for your safety." Ren stated and his word would take no objections.

"My safety? Do you even hear what you're saying, master Ren? I can't just stay here on board while everyone is actually doing something helpful. I am supposed to be of help, I am supposed to fight, not to stay here and be informed of what's happening just to stay blankly."

"I won't change my mind. You're staying here. And as you promised, you must obey my orders." Ren stated and headed for the shuttle. He just turned his back on her and she wouldn't take any of this, so she caught up with him.

"So you're going out there to do something significant and I'm staying here, keeping all I've learned to myself even though it can be of much help?"

"Your time will come." Ren remained as arrogant and self-confident as always.

"Don't play with me!" She shouted after him and he stopped, turning around on the heel of his battle boots.

"You…are staying…here." He ordered almost as a whisper as he made her lift her eyes up to his by putting a finger under her chin. She hardly contained herself not to scream at him that she hates him, because she knew that wasn't true, it was just a result of her anger. She returned to the command room and stared through the panel window, watching the Delta-class DX-9s fly off along with the shuttle. She was supposed to be in that shuttle with Ren. Anger built up in her again and clouded her sober judgement. She walked up to Hux with a pretended calm look on her face.

"General Hux," -she started, looking straight into his eyes. She hoped his character was weak enough for the Force to take effect on his consciousness – "you are going to authorize my takeoff with a tie fighter."

"I am going to authorize your takeoff with a tie fighter." Hux said under the influence of the Force.

"Thank you, General Hux." (Y/N) smiled kindly, which was actually a victorious smirk and she headed for the airfield. Sure, she could only pilot the tie fighter and not shoot if necessary, but she was determined to battle with her two own hands. She sat on the pilot seat and took off for Takodana. She caught up with the rest of the fleet. The thought that Kylo Ren doesn't even suspect she is joining them made her smirk. Was he going to be furious or what!

The fleet landed near Maz Kanata's castle. It was time for action. (Y/N) landed with the tie fighter and waited for everyone to get off the aircrafts. She watched Kylo Ren as he was leaving the shuttle – masked and confident as always, or at least, as confident as he wanted to look. The superweapon was activated and the Republic was now past. This warmed (Y/N) a little on the inside. To her the Republic was the poison of the galaxy.

The castle was being invaded by the stormtroopers in search for the droid and the Resistance somehow happened to show up at the right place in the right time. (Y/N) clenched her fists and her jaw muscles tightened. It was the call of revenge. She pulled out her lightsaber and turned it on. Jumping out of the tie fighter, she ran towards the first rebel that happened in front of her eyes and slashed him in two. She killed a dozen of rebels like that, blinded so much by fury that she didn't even acknowledge the signals of her senses, she didn't even acknowledge the Force's guidance, all she was out for was blood.

Kylo Ren had been given the coordinates of the so wanted droid and he had entered the forest in search for it. He could hear the firing of the blasters, the screams, but there was something else he felt. He felt a familiar source of power, someone greatly skilled in the ways of the Force, someone he knew well. He didn't want to admit it at first, as he didn't want to believe she could have stepped over his explicit orders, but it was her. Her power was growing together with the anger and this made her easier to be sensed. The Knight clenched his fists and all his muscles tensed up from fury. This time he was going to teach her to obey.

A downside to the increase of power the redhead had was that this was blinding her other senses, making her ignore the Force, which at the same time weakened her. Just a moment off-guard and this could cost her a lot. General Organa saw the girl cutting down her brave rebels and judging by her skills, she knew this can't be an ordinary fighter of the First Order. Even more, she knew that she could have information about her son, or at least what was left of her son.

"Capture that girl, I want her unharmed." General Organa ordered to her soldiers. They surely had a time fulfilling that order, but (Y/N) was weakened. Her stamina was low and the fact that she couldn't sense anything betrayed her. She couldn't sense the soldiers coming from behind her, not until they had her on the ground. She dropped her lightsaber and it was taken away from her.

"No!" (Y/N) screamed at the top of her lungs as she was kicking in attempt to free herself while she was being carried to the General.

"Lock her somewhere." Leia ordered when the rebels appeared in front of her with the redheaded warrior and they did as told.

(Y/N) was weakened and exhausted, her hands were cuffed behind her back and her feet were cuffed to the chair she was sitting on. She didn't even try to escape; she had to replenish her powers again, she was hardly keeping her eyes open. General Leia Organa entered along with two rebels.

"Leave us." She ordered to the rebels.

"General Organa, this is a dangerous prisoner, are you sure about this?" One of them asked.

"Don't worry, there's nothing she can do." With those words, the rebels left. Leia sat across her prisoner with somewhat of sympathy written on her face.

"General Organa…" (Y/N) smirked wearily. She knew who that was. It wasn't only the general of the Resistance, but also the mother of the man she fell for. This was giving her mixed feelings for one – she wanted the Resistance burned to the ground, which meant the mastermind behind it had to die too, but the mastermind happened to be Ren's mother and (Y/N) couldn't possibly teach him to value his family if she killed his mother.

"That must be me. And what about you? Who are you?" The girl lift her eyes up to the general, looking from under her eyebrows and as if the features of her face were saying "are you ready for this conversation?"

"Let's not make this complicated. My name is (Y/N), but I'm better known by Lord Edenia." At the mentioning of her name, Leia's pupils dilated. "I'm Vader's adopted daughter. Maybe apprentice sounds better."

"Many of us thought you didn't exist, that your existence was just a rumor."

"In the Resistance and outside the Empire – maybe. But those on the Dark Side knew about the Sith Lord master Vader had trained. After the Empire fell down everyone thought I was dead because I couldn't train siths anymore, but here I am. Alive, after all that happened."

"You're in the First Order, aren't you?" Every word that came out of Leia Organa's mouth sounded bitter. She was also being torn apart in two when it was her son's card laid on the table.

"Of course I am, it's the new Empire." The redhead smiled proudly.

"What's your position there? You didn't seem like just any fighter with those skills out on the battlefield. Are you by some chance an apprentice of…Ben?" The general's voice was full of hope. All she wanted from the girl was any information she had about her son.

"Ben? Ah, you mean Kylo Ren." (Y/N) smirked again, seeing the pain written on Leia's face. "Yes, he is my new master. I'm his apprentice and soon to be, Knight of Ren. Well, after my little episode here I am starting to doubt this, but…"

"How close are you to my son? What can you tell me about him? Is he alright?" The older woman was ready to trust the Sith Lord, all she would do to know a little about her son.

"Very close. Don't worry, your son is alright. He is better than ever actually, now that the Republic is destroyed. But he'll feel even better when he finally gets to Skywalker."

"I feel the hate towards me in your voice. You could have killed me by now. The question is why you haven't killed me yet."

"The answer is simple, General Organa. And it concerns your son. Anyone could tell he doesn't value his family…at all…not even a bit. And even though I'm a child of the Dark Side, I'm strong enough to know that the family is not what pulls one to the light and that the family must be valued. My own mother was on the Light Side, yet I never felt pulled to it because of her. Your son believes that was Vader's mistake – the value of the family. But here's where he's wrong. It's not the family. It's him. His origins are Light; he used to be with the Light, that's all. He might be my teacher, but there's something he can learn from me. And what I want to teach him is to value his family, because you don't know what you've got until it's gone. You can't really teach someone to love their family if you kill their mother or father, can you?" (Y/N) shook her head with a smile.

"Have you always been on the Dark Side?"

"Always. Since I can remember myself I have always been on the Dark Side."

"Tell me something, (Y/N). What is it that you have for my son? How do you feel about him?" Leia looked suspiciously and confusion was written all over (Y/N)'s face. She didn't know if that was a trick question and how to answer that question.

In the meantime, Kylo Ren had captured the mysterious girl going under the name of Rey. Drifting through her mind, he found that she had seen the map. That same map for which they had chased the droid from planet to planet. With that information in his hands, he decided they had acquired what they need. He waved his hand and the girl dropped unconscious in his arms. Déjà vu, he had done this before too. The memory clearly flashed before his eyes – the long red curls of the girl, dropping on her shoulders. He recalled how angry he was for all the troubles she caused them. Yet it was a happy memory to him. Shaking off the thoughts, he returned to the shuttle and left the girl on board.

"Stay here and watch over her. I've got some work to finish." Kylo Ren gave explicit orders to the stormtroopers. While walking out, one of the troopers stopped him.

"Sir, we've got information that Lord Edenia has been spotted here on the battlefield, killing rebels." The trooper explained.

"So, where is she now?" The Knight asked impatiently. The trooper gulped at the question. Ren was going to be furious.

"As far as we know she has been captured by the Resistance, but we didn't get explicit orders for rescue." He replied, sweating under the armor. Ren almost turned red under his mask as he clenched his fists.

"Edenia!" He screamed angrily as he pulled out his lightsaber and turned it on. He figured the only place she could be held in was the rebel troop carrier. Turning his lightsaber on, he killed everyone who got in his way on his path to the carrier.

Inside the carrier, General Organa was still waiting for an answer to her question.

"So?" Leia looked expectantly at the redheaded girl. She looked like she was going to answer the question any moment, but she had actually felt some presence, familiar presence approaching the troop carrier. She knew it could be only one person and she smirked at the thought, looking down to the ground in expectation. Just a moment later Kylo Ren broke in, taking off his mask. (Y/N) smirked and lift her eyes to her master.

"Master Ren…" Every feature of his was giving away his anger. That didn't speak well.

"Ben…" Leia rose to her feet, staring at her son, unable to believe she is actually seeing his face again.

"Mother…" He said with a tone of disgust, maybe even hate and loathing. "Let's go." He commanded, looking over to (Y/N). She freed herself from the cuffs as if they were never even cuffed and she rose to her feet. She took her lightsaber and stopped at the door beside Ren, looking at Leia.

"General Organa…" She bowed down to the older woman with a smile, almost as if she did it ironically and she ran off with Ren. Leia now had the answer to the question that (Y/N) didn't answer. They hurried to the command shuttle, but (Y/N) recalled she came with a tie fighter. She was about to go for it, but Ren caught her roughly by the wrist and stopped her.

"Where do you think you're going now?" He hissed at her.

"I came here with a tie fighter."

"I happen to already know that. Someone else will take care of it. You're coming with me." He barked, pulling her towards the inside of the shuttle. He pushed her to a secluded corner of the shuttle and with his hand on her neck; he pressed her against the wall. He was rough, but not as rough as to hurt her. "I guess it's time I teach you to obey your master." Ren hissed while looking at her lips as she was breathing heavily under him. She gulped. Now the time had come to worry about the "stupid and reckless decision."


	9. Anger Leads To Hate Hate - To Suffering

In Dark Places

 _Part 9: "Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering"_

Kylo Ren left the command shuttle along with (Y/N) and he was again gripping her upper arm tightly as if she was a prisoner. A stormtrooper crossed their way with Rey in his arms.

"Sir, what shall we do with the girl?"

"Lock her up in the interrogation room." The Knight ordered, passing by the trooper.

"Who is she?" The redhead asked curiously.

"She's with the Resistance. She has seen the map; we can extract it from her."

"I see. Let go of my arm, I can walk by myself, thank you." (Y/N) whined and Ren made a sharp turn, entering her room.

"I've got some work to do and I'll do it now so I can spend the rest of my time dealing with you." He threatened as he had her back against the wall by the neck again.

"And how do you plan to "deal" with me, precisely?"

"I'll think of something. In the meantime, don't you even think of leaving that room." He hissed and he stormed out of the room.

It had been an hour since Ren had left her walking in circles around the room. She was getting bored and the more time passed by, the more she was getting nervous about what could be awaiting for her. She decided to get out just for five minutes before Ren comes back, but the moment she made a step out of her room, he slammed her against the wall again.

"Hey!" She whined.

"Didn't I give you a specific order not to leave this room?" He slowly asked.

"You did, master Ren." She scowled.

"So you have stepped over an order…again." He whispered in her ear. "What you did out there was very reckless. I still can't realize how they weren't ordered to kill you. You put yourself in big danger." Ren was now speaking aloud, which relieved (Y/N) a bit.

"So? It's not like it was the first time. I was a stormtrooper, remember? Besides, I am also a Sith Lord. This suggests danger is not a problem for me."

"It seems you fail to understand how important you are."

"Important? Important to who? To the First Order? To _**you**_?" She accented on the last word, piercing him with her eyes. Ren didn't answer; he just kept the arrogant look on his face. (Y/N) laughed out sarcastically in his face and freed herself from his grip, but he pulled her back by the wrist.

"And now you're running away…" The girl's jaw dropped in surprise by his words.

"You're unbelievable, master Ren! You push away something you seemingly…care about and you expect it to stay?!"

"You should really stop correcting me." Ren said against her lips as his own brushed against hers ever so slightly. "And you should start obeying me completely, not selectively like it seems you're used to do." His left hand gripped her neck lightly while the fingers of his right hand brushed against the inner side of her thighs through the rough fabric of her leggings. A small sigh escaped her parted lips as she couldn't begin to understand what was going on. "Don't you try to fight me this time." He kissed her softly while his hand unclasped her cape, letting it fall to the ground. He kept kissing her deeply in order to keep her busy and hold her away from the thought of what was waiting for her. (Y/N), unsuspecting anything, decided to go with the flow. Her hands crawled to his shoulders and she unclasped his cape too. Ren's hands found the ties of her corset untied it. She was almost surprised at how easily he took it off. Then he proceeded to remove the garment she was wearing under the corset and covered the skin of her arms, chest and neck. Underneath the black fabric was hiding her soft white skin, her perfectly shaped breasts and he freed them from the bra. She sighed, feeling herself too exposed in front of her master. The Knight was already aroused at the sight of her bare flesh and he ran his hands over her breasts. The tall man longed to feel her becoming a part of him right there on the moment, but he had to hold on to his word that she wouldn't remain unpunished. He took her by the hand and led her to the bed. He bent her over, making her support herself on the edge of the bed with her hands. Without any more stalling, he took off her boots and pulled down her leggings along with her underwear without the blink of an eye. She was now completely exposed and vulnerable. He ran his hand softly over the back of her thighs, over her butt and all along her arched back. "Lay down with your belly on my thighs." Ren ordered as he sat down on the bed.

"What?"

"Do as I say." His tone wouldn't take no for an answer. (Y/N) whipped her hair back and spread her body across his legs. The Knight finally took off his leather gloves and started running a hand up and down her back. "Why are you breathing so heavily? Don't be afraid, it won't hurt…a lot…" A slight corner self-satisfied smile bloomed on his lips as he moved her hair to one side so he can watch her face twisting in pain. He started with a comparatively light smack against the skin of her butt. She sighed and arched her back. Ren smirked to himself as he smacked her again, this time harder and she moaned, arching her back again. "Does it hurt?" He caressed her red, burning skin and brought down his hand on it much harder.

"Master!" The girl cried out helplessly and gripped the sheets tightly in pain.

"I must admit, I am enjoying the sound of your voice that way." He softly spoke as another hard smack followed.

"Oh, master!" She clenched her teeth as she was on the verge of tears. She couldn't decide if it hurt her or if it was arousing her… _or both_ …

"How does someone as wayward as you feel taken under control? How does it feel to be tamed?" He smacked her again.

"It hurts!" She cried and curled her toes.

"It hurts? Poor thing." He said sarcastically. "I didn't hear you, are you going to obey me from now on or you want this method of reeducation to continue?" He smacked her once more very hard.

"Yes, master!" She cried and he smirked at the sight of her quivering lips.

"Yes what?" Another smack.

"I am going to obey you, master."

"Good girl." He whispered as he ran a hand over the red skin to soothe the pain. "Look what a good girl you are now, how calm and unaggressive." He spoke soothingly in a soft tone. He gave her a last, very soft slap. "Put your boots on. Only your boots." He commanded and (Y/N) carefully rose to her feet to fulfil the order. Ren also rose to his feet and completely stripped himself naked. (Y/N) tied up her boots and eyed her master from head to toe, adoring his pale white skin. He did the same as he approached her and pressed her to his body by the small of her back. Now that he was done with the punishment, he could finally go easy on her and compensate for his coldness in a new way. He finally felt free and sure enough in his feelings to kiss her as long and hard as he had always wanted. He had always wanted to kiss her in a way which could show her what he was incapable of saying out loud, but there was always time or duty that was strangling him or he was stopping himself, convinced that the right thing to do was to let her go. Now that he was holding her in his hands, completely exposed for him and he couldn't run away even from his own self, he completely gave in to desire. Ren took the girl's face in his hands and bravely shoved his tongue deep inside her mouth. He picked her up by her thighs, wrapping her legs around his body as he kept kissing her hungrily and he laid her down on the bed. (Y/N) started running her hands over his strong biceps. His lips moved to her neck, sucking it gently and she buried her hands in his hair, moaning softly under him. As about her, she was very puzzled. Just a moment ago he was rough and heartless, while now he was on top of her, touching her and kissing her passionately as if that was somebody absolutely different, somebody that she didn't know. At least not in the face of Kylo Ren, and as soon as that thought passed through her head, she recalled of Archer. Archer had kissed her once, the day she got the opportunity to become a part of the First Order and she took it. So many things had changed that day. She had shared her plan with him. Despite his respect and confidence in her, he knew he might never see her again, so he took the chance and kissed her. And his kiss was warm and passionate, just like the way Ren was kissing her now. Ren's right hand crawled between their hot bodies and started caressing her inner thighs. His finger slipped between her labia and he felt she's already perfectly wet. He reached between his legs, taking his already hard member in his hand and he positioned it at her entrance. He moved his lips from her neck to her earlobe and he sucked it gently as he slowly pushed his whole length inside her.

"Oh, master Ren!" (Y/N) moaned loudly because of the slight pain spreading through her body. Ren gasped at the pleasure he felt from the way her tight walls wrapped so well around his member. He kept still for a moment so she could adjust to his size. She bit her finger as Ren started moving in and out of her very slowly.

"That's not the kind of pain you're used to, is it?" He softly spoke in her ear.

"No, master." She curled her toes, but the pain had started fading away.

"Don't be afraid, it will get much, much better." He whispered as his right hand touched all over her left thigh, felt up the beautiful curves of her hips, of her belly and gently caressed her breasts before he caught her by the back of the thigh again. (Y/N) relaxed her muscles and closed her eyes, giving in to the pleasant feeling invading her body. Ren watched her melt under him and her soft moans sent thrills to his already pulsating member. "That feels good, doesn't it?"

"Yes, master Ren."

"Do you want me to make it even better?" The Knight asked as he increased his pace drastically.

"Yes, master." She breathily answered as she gripped the sheets tightly. Her arms snaked around his back and she made him lie down on her body as she dug her nails into the skin of his shoulders. He supported himself on his left elbow beside her head and he held on to her left thigh for more access. He increased his pace so much, that they both couldn't stop moaning loudly and intensely. (Y/N) loved his voice – low, raspy and threateningly calm. Now that he was moaning intensely and passionately in her ear with that same low, raspy voice, the sound was arousing her even more than she already was. She felt a knot tying inside her and her walls started tightening, so did the rest of the muscles in her body. Ren felt that and he didn't need a second guessing. His right hand slipped between their bodies and he found her clit, starting to stimulate it.

"Here?" His fingers worked quickly. (Y/N) reached down and moved them a little upper.

"Right here." She encouraged her master and he kept moving in and out of her as fast as his stamina allowed. "Faster!" (Y/N) moaned as she felt herself close. Ren hit the delicate spot, which brought the girl to her climax. She moaned at the top of her lungs as he rode out her orgasm. However, Ren was close too, so he didn't stop even for a moment. He supported himself on both elbows beside her head and buried his face in her neck, thrusting as fast as he could. When he felt himself on the edge, he pulled out and stroking his member, he shot his hot semen on (Y/N)'s belly, moaning uncontrollably. He exhaled deeply and lied beside her, trying to catch his breath. "I'll be right back." (Y/N) smiled at him softly and ran off to the bathroom. When she came back, Ren was already under the covers. She crawled in bed and lied beside him, pulling the covers over herself. Ren turned to face her and gestured her to come closer.

"Come here." He whispered and took her in his arms, embracing her tightly. He ran his fingers through her curls and kissed her forehead. (Y/N) wasn't convinced that was the same person. The Kylo Ren she knew wasn't capable of showing affection, of feeling emotions, he wasn't kind and loving, while now she was lying in his arms and he was someone completely different.

"What happened with the girl?" (Y/N) asked.

"We're talking about work again?"

"It's not like we talk about anything else."

"It's not like we haven't."

"You're right for once." She sighed.

"For once?" He raised his eyebrows and she pursed her lips. "Well, there was a little problem, which turns out to be a big problem. I tried to get inside her mind, but she blocked me out."

"She's force sensitive?" A look of disbelief appeared on her face.

"Yes, she's very strong with the Force and she's not even aware of how much."

"She resisted you?! But you're the master of the Knights of Ren, you happen to be amongst the strongest, you're almost a Sith Lord! You've got such power – Snoke knows it, I know it, everyone knows it." The girl spoke fast and uneasily.

"I know, but it appears that she is much stronger and I acknowledge it. There's been an awakening…I'm sure you've felt it too. The problem is this is her awakening and she's on the side of the Resistance. She will take the path of the Jedi and if they find Skywalker first he will teach her the way. This can be a major threat to the First Order. Skywalker is not to be underestimated. The absolute worst that can happen is the rebirth of the Jedi." Ren spoke softly and sleepily, but she sensed the disturbance in him.

"We can't let that happen, that's not what I fought all my life for."

"You wanted to do something important, didn't you? Now I've got a task for you. _You_ will try to extract the map from that girl."

"Me? But I'm not as strong as you are. If you failed then what chance at all could I have?"

"Our skills have not been measured, in other words you might even be stronger than me."

"I'm a warrior, that's mostly what I've been trained for."

"The Supreme Leader has reasons to believe Vader wanted to make a whole weapon out of you. There's no way he has missed the psychic part of the training. Who knows, your psychic skills might be stronger than mine."

"I doubt it, but I will obey your will, master."

"Good. And don't ever doubt yourself. Ever. Vader must have taught you that."

"It's the lesson I never fully acquired." She looked away ashamedly and Ren soothingly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"About us…" Ren started insecurely after a short silence.

"About us? You believe there's "us?" (Y/N) lift her eyes to his in surprise.

"Yes. Is that wrong of me?"

"No, I'm sorry. What did you want to say?" She pursed her lips as she felt guilty for criticizing him for something she also cared about.

"This…between us…whatever it is, it has to remain a secret for the time being."

"I know."

"I don't want it to be that way, but the status has some barriers…"

"I know, master Ren. I'm not judging you, I understand how things are. I'm used to being a secret."

"I don't want you to feel that way. I just never thought things would turn out that way."

"Believe me, neither did I."

"Let's take a sleep. Tomorrow's going to be tough, I sense it."

"Yes, me too. Good night, master Ren." (Y/N) closed her eyes and buried her face in Ren's neck.

"Good night."

When Kylo Ren woke up, (Y/N) was not in the bed beside him. She wasn't even in the room. He put on his clothes and went looking for her. He found her walking around the aircraft hangar nervously. He caught her by the upper arm unexpectedly and pulled her to a secluded corner before she could even realize what's happening.

"I sense your disturbance. Why?" Ren asked directly, looking in her eyes with a finger under her chin.

"I don't want to fail." The girl simply said.

"No one will blame you if you do. Just give the best of yourself, I'll be with you and I'll be watching." Ren leaned down and kissed her gently. "Why so insecure all of a sudden?"

"Because this is a train of consequences. If we don't get to Skywalker first, the result will be the rebirth of the Jedi…I don't want to see the Jedi rebirthed."

"No one here does. Let's get done with it."

"Yes, master Ren." She kissed him urgently and stormed off, heading to the interrogation room. She angrily entered the room, followed by Ren. He took a side place in order to observe. Rey looked at both of them with a very confused look on her face.

"First things first. May I know your name?" (Y/N) started confidently with her usual stone-cold look.

"Rey." The other girl replied after hesitating for a while. "Who are you?" She asked as she looked to Ren and then back to (Y/N) as if she was looking for a relation.

"My name is Lord Edenia."

"Lord?"

"I happen to be a Sith Lord – this should neutralize your confusion. I have information that you were the one flying the Millennium Falcon. I'm impressed. Maybe we could fly an aircraft together one day." (Y/N) smiled somewhat wickedly.

"I doubt it." Rey barked.

"Such a pity, I thought we could be friends, but since you're not interested I guess I'll go straight to the point. If you cooperate, I'll spare you the functions of master Ren's torture chair, if you don't I'll have to get a little creative." (Y/N) smirked as Rey's lips quivered in fright and held back tears.

"Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you, unless you make me. What I want from you is the map."

"I'm not giving it to you." Rey hissed through her clenched teeth.

"But I'm not asking you, dear." (Y/N) smiled sarcastically as she raised her hand to Rey's face. Ren slightly smirked at (Y/N)'s ruthlessness and ways of leadership, but he also tensed up as the key moment came. The redhead tried to reach into the other girl's mind and for a second she saw a blurry piece of the map, but she felt the scavenger digging into her own head too, so she stopped the process. "You try to use my own cards against me?" (Y/N) exhaled and clenched her teeth. "I'm afraid our next meeting won't be quite as pleasant." She hissed and stormed out of the room. Kylo Ren shot a threatening glance to the girl and calmly walked out of the room, going after (Y/N). The redhead entered her room and Kylo Ren followed her. She saw him entering and threw herself in his arms.

"Forgive me, master, I have failed." She whispered as her lips quivered from the suppressed anger.

"You did what you could. We both did. Failure was almost inevitable." Ren spoke softly and soothingly, running his fingers through her hair.

"I was close, I even saw a blurry image of the map, but I guess she turned the link around because she started digging through _my_ memories. I stopped, otherwise she could have seen something important. You have a reason to be angry."

"No, I'm not angry with you. Do you know what she could have seen?"

"I don't know. Maybe I could succeed if I tried again…"

"No, we can't risk it." Ren put his finger under her chin as he so much loved doing and looked in her eyes as the latex gloves creaked at the movement. "You knew this was going to backfire, didn't you? Yet you risked just to get the map." The girl nodded and pursed her lips. "Again a risk." He whispered threatingly and gently bit her bottom lip, pulling it softly and letting it slip from his teeth.

"I have to find out what she saw." (Y/N) whispered.

"You have my permission. But…promise me you won't get inside her head. Promise me!" He spoke slowly and threatingly.

"I promise, master Ren."

"Good girl!" Ren whispered, gazing at her lips. "Then off you go." He said and (Y/N) ran off angrily to the interrogation room.

The redhead entered the interrogation room and she was so angry that she was calm.

"This chair has a built-in electroshock. I am going to ask you only one simple question. I want a truthful answer to it, because dare you lie to me – I will know. Shall you not answer the question or you decide to trick me, I won't be bothered to use the electroshock. Am I clear?" (Y/N) explained calmly.

"Yes." Rey answered helplessly.

"Good." (Y/N) whispered. "The question is simple, don't be afraid. When I tried to read your mind you also got inside my head. I know you've seen something. What was it?" Rey hesitated for a while, but then decided this couldn't do her any harm, while if she didn't answer that would very well cost her.

"I saw only one thing, just for a second. I saw you fighting Kylo Ren in a snowy forest. Why did you fight him if you're allies?" She was speaking insecurely and she was puzzled. (Y/N)'s heart skipped a beat at the memory of the fight in the snow.

"We had our reasons, it was a harmless fight. Thank you for your cooperation." (Y/N) replied calmly and was almost out the door when Rey spoke.

"That's all you'll get from me." The scavenger said confidently and (Y/N) turned around to face her.

"We'll see." She smiled wickedly and walked out of the room. Kylo Ren crossed her path as she had headed to find him.

"Come with me." He ordered and (Y/N) followed him puzzled. They didn't say a word on the way to their destination which seemed unreachable. Finally, they reached to a silent part of the base where no living soul was currently to be found roaming. They entered a spacious room which looked like no one had visited it in ages. It was unlit; the only light brightening it was the sunlight. All there was in the room was a leather couch in the middle of the room facing the window. The only impressive thing in the room was impressive enough to explain the lack of objects. It could simply take your breath away with its majesty and that's why anything else in the room would be placed in vain. This thing was the huge glass pane window looking to a snowy hill. The atmosphere was making the room one of the most peaceful places (Y/N) had seen.

"This is the most beautiful view I have ever seen." (Y/N) said quietly as if in a trance.

"You should see it at night." Ren whispered in her ear as he put his hands on her waist from behind. "Come." He took her hand and led her to the couch, making her sit down beside him. He pressed her head to his chest and started running his fingers through her hair as they both started through the window.

"What are we doing here? Aren't we supposed to be in the command room?"

"I wanted to show you this place so you can calm down, I felt your anger. Besides, we have to go report to the Supreme Leader and he won't be pleased. Also, I feel a disturbance in the Force, I feel like something unpleasant is going to happen. With these thoughts considered, I decided I need a moment of peace before it all comes down and I wanted to share it with you."

"I feel flattered. You know, you've changed. I would have never guessed a man like that is the man living under the mask."

"He doesn't live under the mask. He didn't exist before I met you. If you disappear, he disappears along with you, because he lives within you."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be, I am not. No one has ever made me actually feel something before you. No one else except you could deserve the way I treat you. I have reasons to believe it's the same with you…unless…unless there is something in the past with Archer." Ren whispered the blond man's name. "Or there still is…"

"There's not. Never was, never will be. He's just been my friend since I can remember. I taught him the Dark Side is the right way; he's always been beside me. Besides, would I be here saying these things if my heart was with him? It's me and you now."

"He can't say the same though. I saw the way he looked at you; I heard the way he talks to you. He sure wasn't happy to see you with me."

"That's enough, master Ren. He isn't a man with back thoughts, unlike you." (Y/N) interrupted him with annoyance.

"Oh, was that supposed to be a knife in my back?"

"No, it would have been much more painful if I wanted it to be. I just wanted to show you that not everybody is like you." She raised her head from his chest and turned to face him.

"Like me? What do you mean like me? Arrogant? Uncompromising?" Ren gazed at her lips as he spoke silently.

"Yes, I think arrogant is the word I am looking for." (Y/N) took his bottom lip between her teeth gently, just like he had done earlier. Ren couldn't fight the temptation and shoved his tongue in her mouth, making her moan in surprise. "Is that all supreme power like yours has to offer? Blinding pride and therefore – arrogance?"

"It sounds much different the way you say it. No, power by itself is enough. It makes you feel secure, it gives you the confidence that you can destroy everything that gets in your way…including pain. And you know pain all too well. I thought you knew that already. After all, you're like me."

"No, I am not. Not as much as you are in this aspect, at least." The girl shifted away, somewhat frightened. Ren gently pushed her down on the sofa and carefully wrapped a hand around her neck, looking in her eyes.

"Oh, but you are. You are very prideful, (Y/N). You should hear yourself when you speak of your father's mighty Empire with such passion, with such pride that you used to be a part of it." His fingers were gently caressing her neckline up and down. "Don't deny who you are. Every quality of the Dark Side you possess – don't deny it, even if you don't find it rather appealing."

"I do not. The Dark Side is strong in my veins."

"There you are – back again. That's the reason why we make such a good team together – me and you. Because we are the same. We suffer the same and our suffering makes us more powerful." He whispered against her lips.

"You believe we're good together?"

"Of course we are. And the galaxy already felt our power on its back, dare I say."

"It definitely did. The Dark Side once more is the strongest power in the galaxy, in possession of the most dangerous weapon."

"And we're in control of it. Just a word and we can do the unspeakable."

"We?"

"Didn't I alert you? You are now one of the Knights of Ren and I'll soon make it official. You have long reserved your place among us. Besides, I'll make sure as soon as possible that we don't have to hide." (Y/N) smiled. That didn't sound like Ren at all. Suddenly, her face darkened.

"But first, we still have fights to win." Ren tightened his grip around her neck a little and crushed his lips on hers, shoving his tongue in her mouth. She buried her fingers in his raven hair and enjoyed the kiss. He had called her by name for the first time and it had rolled off his tongue so gently. He had never done it before…


	10. Rise And Fall

In Dark Places

 _Part 10: "Rise And Fall"_

After the intimate moment Kylo Ren and (Y/N) had shared, it was time to make big steps. It was perfect while it lasted, but that's why it couldn't last long. Now they were headed with heavy steps for the hologram room. The two strongest masters of the dark arts, walking side by side with their capes dragging at their feet. They entered the hologram room and bowed down in front of the majestic hologram figure.

"Do you have the map?" Supreme Leader Snoke asked impatiently.

"That's why we're here, Supreme Leader. The girl that we were supposed to extract the map from, she is strong with the Force, stronger than she knows. We were unable to reach deep enough into her mind." Kylo Ren explained calmly, but somewhat guiltily.

"The scavenger resisted you?!" Snoke hissed through his teeth, clenching his fists angrily. "What about you, Lord Edenia?"

"I'm sorry, Supreme Leader. I almost succeeded, but with a risk. Even if I could, she would see our battle plans. I can't take that risk. If she manages to see them, a weak spot could be found." (Y/N) set her argument down on the table, but that wasn't making it up for the lack of results.

"What about the droid?"

"I decided we could get what we need from the girl and that the droid no longer must be pursued." Ren answered with a look of guilt, but that was enough of a punishment for his actions taken. The tall man's pride couldn't allow him to feel guilty.

"If this girl is as strong as you present her to be, bring her to me!" Snoke barked.

"Yes, Supreme Leader." The two dark lords answered in one voice and turned around to walk out, but Snoke's voice echoed behind them and they stopped.

"Ren, I have to speak to you in private." He hissed.

"Wait for me in front of the door, Lord Edenia." Ren whispered.

"Yes, my lord." (Y/N) obeyed and walked out. Ren turned around to face Snoke.

"Edenia seems to be turning into a weakness of yours, Lord Ren."

"I'm afraid you're mistaken, Supreme Leader. On the contrary, she's been of much help to the operation and her skills are of much use to us."

"I'm aware of that, Lord Ren, but don't think I'm oblivious to the rest. You seem to be taking everything concerning her very personally. And that's why indeed she's a weakness of yours. You've gotten much too close to her, I can sense it."

"And you find this to be a problem, Supreme Leader?" The tall man looked down to the ground.

"Not necessarily a problem, Lord Ren, but be careful. Don't get too attached. Don't forget whose weakness was also a loved one."

"I won't forget, Supreme Leader."

"Don't get carried away. Now bring me that scavenger!"

"Yes, Supreme Leader." Kylo Ren walked out and grabbed (Y/N) by the arm, pulling her forward.

"What did he tell you?" (Y/N) asked worriedly. Ren pulled her aside and concernedly looked at her.

"He knows about us. Or he just…feels what's between us." The Knight announced and the girl's eyes wandered to his, looking for an answer. "Don't worry, I don't think it's a problem, but…he knows." The girl's face darkened.

"I guess it was too good to be true, wasn't it master?" She looked into his eyes like a sad puppy.

"It is not over, (Y/N)." He confidently stated and crushed his lips on hers. It had become a habit of his to kiss her every time he wanted to assure her in something or soothe her. "Now, let's get it done with the scavenger." His professional tone took over his words again. (Y/N) nodded obediently and they both headed for the interrogation room, walking side by side. When the door opened and they saw both the scavenger and the guard they had left weren't to be found, they looked to each other with confusion and maybe panic written on their faces.

"Have you given an order for transferring or something?" (Y/N) asked Ren in slight, but controlled panic.

"No, have you?" He turned to her and when she shook her head in denial they both froze, realizing what they were apprehensive of was actually true.

"Guards!" They both shouted at the top of their lungs as they came back to their senses. After a minute two stormtroopers were in front of them. Ren didn't wait for anyone or anything so he immediately started giving orders.

"We've got a prisoner on the loose. She's probably still on the base, but she's trying to escape. Send teams to cover the whole base."

"Watch the hangars. She might try to steal a ship." (Y/N) added.

"Find her as fast as possible! The more time she spends in attempt to find her way out – the more dangerous she gets."

"Yes, sir!" The stormtroopers nodded and quickly ran off to spread the orders.

"I sense some…strangely familiar presence…" The man marked thoughtfully. (Y/N) looked at him questioningly. "Han Solo!" He hissed angrily through his clenched teeth and approached the girl, stopping only lips away from her.

"Here on the base?"

"I don't know. Our top priority now is to find that girl! You go to the command room and update Hux on what's happening, maybe figure out a plan for action." He put his hands on her shoulders and gripped them encouragingly.

"What about you?"

"I'll go around the base with the teams. Keep an eye on the external entrances of the base."

"Yes, my lord!"

"We can't fail this time, (Y/N)."

"I know, my lord." Ren kissed her gently, deeply and urgently, as if he was afraid this could be their last kiss.

"Now, go." He whispered and she stormed by him like a hurricane, heading for the command room. The tall man was feeling more and more disturbed on the inside due to feeling his own father's presence in the base. The time had come to overcome his feelings that were conflicting inside him and prove to his own self and his master that the past is invaluable to him. He took a small crew of stormtroopers and headed for the lower levels in search for the scavenger.

(Y/N) was feeling the Knight's inner chaos, which made her worry that he could do something foolish. However, he had given her orders she had to fulfill. The moment she entered the command room, General Hux approached her urgently.

"We have progress. Where is Ren?" Hux started impatiently.

"Lord Ren, if you please, General. Let's have our respect." (Y/N) corrected him and all he did to show his guilt was exhale deeply. "He is taking care of a current major, emergency problem."

"I heard about it, everyone in the station is on edge. Could I have the details?"

"We don't know "details", we only have guessings, but the worst one is that we're probably right. The girl we took instead of the droid – she's force sensitive and we assume that she has used her psychic skills on the guards to escape…and now she's somewhere around the base. There are the details you requested."

"I've had it with all those ancient religion tricks on this base!" Hux hissed under his breath.

"Those ancient religion tricks, General, are why this base even exists, they are what keeps it going. I know you are a man of hard science and strict discipline, General Hux, and I respect that, but the facts are right in front your eyes, like it or not. The reason you don't get along with master Ren is the same reason we don't get along with you. But remember why you deserved this post in the first place, General. Like it or not, we have to work together and you have to honor your father's name by keeping your current title. It's in your interest to get along with just the two people on this base who happen to possess the ancient religion tricks you so passionately despise."

"My father, Lord Edenia?"

"Yes, General. I'm aware your father used to be a general, serving for the old Empire and this way – marking the path for you. Do we have everything cleared out now?"

"I suppose so, Lord Edenia." Hux gulped.

"Good. Now tell me what progress we have!" (Y/N) ordered sternly and Hux took a deep breath in order to rid of the tension before he started talking.

"Thanks to your pursuit of the Millennium Falcon with Lord Ren and the tracking device we were able to plant on Takodana, we now have the rebels' base location. It's in the Ileenium system." The general explained proudly.

"Ileenium? Are we allowed to activate the weapon?"

"Yes, I even have an order from the Supreme Leader to do it."

"Is the station operational?"

"Of course it is. We already used it." Hux answered confusedly.

"I know, I know. I mean _fully_ operational – no errors, no malfunctions, everything intact."

"Yes, Lord Edenia. I assure you it is _fully_ operational."

"Good. There's no place for mistakes this time."

"Of course not. Do I have your permission to heat up the weapon, Lord Edenia?"

"Yes, General." The girl said confidently. After their little conversation, which was ruthlessly direct and straight in the face, Hux started feeling more respect for the young Sith Lord.

While Ren was climbing down the lower levels, he couldn't stop thinking if he had the strength to face his father after such a long time. Behind the mask, no one could see both the fear and hatred written on his face. Well, maybe no one except one person.

"Search the level!" Ren ordered to the small team of troops he had brought along with him. He could feel the enemy is near, but he still had to capture the scavenger, so he went forward to the bridge leading to the other side of the level.

Han Solo – Ren's own father and also a part of the Resistance was now on the base and happened to be on the same level as his son. He was sent by the Resistance with a mission to destroy the oscillator of the weapon, which was located on that very level. He was planting the explosives on the columns when he saw a tall black figure on the metal bridge. He froze. He knew that was none other, but his very own son.

"Ben!" Han Solo shouted after his son as he approached him and the stormtroopers took him on gun point. Ren froze on his place. It was time and yet he couldn't bear to face his father in fear he could feel the call to the light again. It was his own insecurity that made him weak.

"Han Solo." The modulated voice echoed and the Dark Lord turned around to face the other man. "I've been waiting for this day for a long time."

"Take off that mask. You don't need it." Han approached his son.

"What do you think you'll see if I do?"

"The face of my son." Han barked sternly, determined to bring his son back to the light as he had promised Leia. Ren thought over his father's request for a moment and decided that's a wish he could allow himself to fulfill. He unsealed his helmet after a short hesitation and let it drop to the ground.

"Your son is gone. He was weak and foolish like his father, so I destroyed him." The younger man stated proudly and his father wished nothing of that was real.

"That's what Snoke wants you to believe, but it's not true. My son is alive."

"No. The Supreme Leader is wise." Ren said determinedly, but Han's words made him recall what (Y/N) had said when he asked her for her opinion on Snoke. _*Something's not right around him.*_ \- she had said and he wondered if she meant the same as Han.

"Snoke is using you for your power. When he gets what he wants he'll crush you. You know it's true." Han held on to every possible argument he had just to change his son's mind.

"It's too late."

"No, it's not. Leave here with me. Come home. We miss you."

"I'm being torn apart. I want to be free of this pain. I know what I have to do, but I don't know if I have the strength to do it. Will you help me?" Ren was already determined and he indeed knew what he had to do. His anger was already beyond control and he was going to use it.

"Yes. Anything." Han replied impatiently, convinced he had succeeded. The infamous smuggler was never a person of sentimentalities, something his son took after him, but when it came to his family things were different. Kylo Ren pulled out his lightsaber, confusing his father, but his father was ready to do whatever his son wanted him to, without suspecting anything. Ren looked in his eyes as if he was looking for an answer and as if he was doubting if that was the right thing to do. He suppressed his weakness and gave freedom to his anger. He turned on his lightsaber and drove it through his father's abdomen without a second thought. Han froze. The psychical pain he felt was much stronger that the physical one that was cutting through his flesh. After all, what pain is more unbearable than the pain from dying from your own son's hand?

"Thank you." The Knight whispered. Han reached out to touch his son's face for the last time as he looked into his eyes before falling off the walkway down into the reactor's shaft. Ren was too carried away in thoughts to feel the laser ray coming from Chewbacca and he got shot in the abdomen area. The pain made him bend double, falling on one knee and he looked up to see where the shot had come from. There stood the scavenger along with Chewbacca and the stormtrooper that had betrayed him. Ren clenched his teeth in anger and since someone had turned on the detonator, the walls of the oscillator started cracking from the explosions, the damage spreading slowly to the rest of the base.

In the meantime, back in the command room, everyone was waiting impatiently for the weapon to heat up. (Y/N) was almost shaking in anticipation to see the rebels' base burn to ashes. She felt it when Ren was hurt, but she didn't know he was hurt, it was just a little quake in the Force.

"Two minutes until the weapon is heated completely." One of the sergeants announced.

"The scavenger!" (Y/N) hissed as she saw Rey leaving the base together with the Wookie and the stormtrooper traitor. She checked if she had her lightsaber. A slight quake could be felt and the system alarms were turned on.

"The oscillator is damaged, but still working." The sergeant explained but (Y/N) stormed out of the command room, pushing herself away from the walls as the ground was pulsating violently under her feet.

The fugitives were making their way through the snowy forest when (Y/N) cut off their way thanks to her skills. She pulled out her lightsaber and turned it on, standing in a confident defense position. Her anger was growing deep in her bones.

"Where do you think you're going?" The redhead barked at the younger girl. Rey was about to use a blaster against (Y/N), but the Sith Lord threw her into a tree with just the wave of her hand. The ex-stormtrooper pulled out the Jedi lightsaber and took a threatening position. "Traitor!" (Y/N) barked at him angrily and smirked as she felt his unease. "Show me what you've got, traitor!" She hissed at him and he attacked. However, he wasn't force sensitive and only after a few swings of the saber, the Sith Lord had him heavily wounded on the ground. She smirked. Suddenly, she felt movement nearby. Before she could realize it, the Jedi lightsaber flew by her and directly in the hand of the scavenger. The soon-to-be-Jedi rose to her feet and took fighting position. (Y/N) clenched her teeth, tightening her grip around her lightsaber and her stern look was speaking for her that she had long accepted the challenge. The girls ran to each other, holding up high their lightsabers and they blocked each other's attack. It was quite a fight as they both were strong with the Force, but the fierce fight reached its end when (Y/N) lost concentration. Suddenly, she felt Kylo Ren's sharp physical pain and his close presence. Getting carried away by her worry, she lost track of the fight and the last thing she felt was a lightsaber driven through her abdomen. The last thing she saw as she fell heavily wounded on the ground, coloring the snow with her blood, was a tall black figure approaching. Rey, knowing the danger in the face of the redheaded Sith Lord, pointed the lightsaber to the half-conscious woman, determined to finish her while she could, but then a voice echoed from behind her.

"Edenia!" The figure barked panicked and started approaching faster. It was Ren. He was late because of his bleeding wound. A little too late. He pulled out his lightsaber and turned it on. "That girl belongs to me!" He hissed angrily through his clenched teeth, pointing to the fallen girl in the snow with his lightsaber. "And so does that lightsaber!" He looked to the lightsaber which Rey was now holding doubtfully and insecurely with a lost look on her face and tears streaming down her face. "We're not done yet!"

"You're a monster!" Rey hissed through her tightly clenched teeth, trying to swallow the tears.

"It's just us. Han Solo can't save you now." The ground cracked open and Rey attacked Ren in her anger and suffering. The Knight was also angered. The only person he actually cared about and loved was lying in the snow in her blood, which was as red as her hairs. His anger was so blinding that his severe wound now felt like just a simple scratch. The fight wasn't any less fierce than the previous. Ren was swinging the heavy lightsaber expertly and dangerously, while the scavenger was doing it a little insecurely, yet she had no choice but to fight. Suddenly, as they were blocking each other's lightsabers, Ren was pushing her towards a cracked opening in the ground where rivers of lava were running underneath. "You need a teacher. I can show you the ways of the Force!" Ren explained as the scavenger was hardly holding him back.

"The Force?" She whispered, closing her eyes, which made the Knight disturbingly confused. The girl let the Force run through her and became one with it. She opened her eyes and Ren could read in them the same determination and ruthlessness (Y/N) had, until she pushed him back away. This sudden overflow of power somehow discouraged the tall man, but he kept fighting. It wasn't long before his strength started leaving him again and Rey swung her saber, slightly wounding his leg and cutting off a piece of his cape. Another swing and his shoulder was the next wounded part of his body. He tried defending himself, but his wounds were weakening him and after the next blocked attack along with a crucial strike from Rey's lightsaber, Ren was lying in the snow with a wound across his face. The girl wanted and could have killed him right there, but she drew the line like she did with (Y/N), knowing this could only lead her to the Dark Side. Chewbacca hovered over her with the Millennium Falcon. They took the wounded stormtrooper on board and took off.

The two dark Lords were both lying wounded on the ground as the cracked openings in it threatened to swallow them in their rivers of lava. Kylo Ren, even though wounded in many places, was still in a better condition than (Y/N). Even though Rey didn't mean to kill her, she wounded her in a way which caused severe blood loss. Ren was weakened, but his fear of losing (Y/N) was greater than his wounds and he used all his remaining strength to reach the girl. He hardly rose to his feet and headed her way, but on the half of the way he fell to his knees. The other half he had to crawl in the snow. He reached the girl and propped himself on his elbow beside her, reaching out to caress her cheek.

"(Y/N)!" Ren whispered worriedly in hope she would wake up. A small sigh escaped from the girl's parted lips and she slowly turned her head to face him.

"I'm sorry master, I have failed." The girl hardly whispered and reached out to touch his face, marking him with her blood.

"No, no, no, (Y/N). Your order now is not to give up." Ren's eyes teared up as he put a hand over hers to stop the blood.

"Are those tears in yours eyes, my lord? As much as I am happy they're for me, I don't want to see them." (Y/N) smiled, caressing his cheek and he held back the tears. "Look what we've become. We're the same, yet at the same time we're completely different. At least I was able to teach you something too."

"But if you die, what I have become dies with you, remember?" Ren sat up and pulled (Y/N) into his arms, holding her tightly.

"Oh, but I can't allow that."

"Then you can't die! If you leave me I won't know what to do and where to go." (Y/N)'s face darkened. The ground kept cracking and quaking around them.

"You're hurt." The girl cried as she felt the wound in his abdomen. "I knew something bad had happened. And that wound across your face…" Her lips quivered as her eyes teared up.

"I'll be alright. We'll talk about this later. Now I want you to relax." Ren ran a finger along her cheek and he saw the command shuttle lowering down to them. He picked her up carefully bridal style and waited for the walkway to lower. Holding her in his arms that way, Ren recalled the first time he saw her face. He was holding her the same way and entering the shuttle just like he was doing now. By the time he had thought of her as a possible threat. Little did he know back then that he'd be holding her again and she would mean so much to him. With these thoughts on his mind and the girl in his arms, Ren entered the shuttle, hardly standing on his feet, just to be greeted by general Hux with his hands crossed behind his back. "We need a medical droid immediately! She's losing a lot of blood."

"We're lucky to have one on board. You don't seem to be in your best condition either, Lord Ren."

"Her case is an emergency, I can wait." The tall man laid her down and hoped the droid could save her. "What's the course?"

"The course is set for Cloud city. There we can give both of you better treatment without being recognized. Until then we can only keep her stabilized."

"It doesn't matter as long as she lives." Ren exhaled deeply in some relief.

The survivors after the destruction of the Star Killer base had arrived at their destination. Kylo Ren's wounds were taken care of and despite the pain in his abdomen he was feeling almost as good as new. (Y/N)'s condition was stabilized, but she was still required to stay in bed and rest. Ren was hardly leaving her side. She had been sleeping for days and when she finally woke up Ren exhaled deeply in relief.

"Finally awake." Kylo Ren gave her a slight smile. She smiled back sleepily.

"It's nice to see you, master." She shifted around in bed and winced from the sharp pain that pierced through her abdomen.

"Do not move! You have to stay in bed for some time."

"Where are we?"

"Away." Ren simply replied and (Y/N) smiled. She gestured him to lean in closer and the tips of her fingers brushed against the wound across his face ever so gently like a ghost's touch.

"What happened?" She asked with the shadow of darkness fallen upon her face. Ren gulped as he heard the question. He sat down on the bed beside her and looked down.

"I killed Han Solo…I killed my father." He whispered almost proudly and the girl's eyes teared up.

"And now, I see you're feeling guilty." She noted with a tone of disappointment and slight blame in her voice.

"No, I'm not. I'm not sorry, neither feeling guilty. I'm only guilty in front of you." He raised his eyes to hers confidently. She exhaled long and deep, accepting reality. She cupped his cheek as if this little gesture was meant to show forgiveness.

"And now what? Look at us."

"No, no. We're not done yet. This is just the beginning."

"But Star Killer base is nothing but space junk now. Besides, they have probably found Skywalker by now."

"Where did your fighting spirit go? When I met you, you had determination which you could take over the whole galaxy with. Where is it now when you need it most?"

"It's not gone. I'm just disappointed of myself."

"I don't want to hear it. I want my warrior back." Ren said almost as a command.

"You'll have it back as soon as I'm out of this bed."

"This means you'll have that same draconian look in your eyes when I'm back."

"Back? Back from where? Where are you going?" The girl's face darkened once more.

"Supreme Leader Snoke wants to finish my training, so I'll be away for a while along with Hux. I just couldn't leave before you wake up. I wanted to make sure you will wake up and that you won't have to wait for the answers you require."

"That's very thoughtful of you, I appreciate it."

"When I'm back we're starting over with everything." Ren put his forehead to (Y/N)'s, looking in her eyes and cupping her cheek.

"Don't be long." She whispered.

"I'll come back for you as soon as possible." He whispered against her lips and crushed his lips on hers. He slipped his tongue inside her mouth, kissing her hungrily, deeply and urgently.

"May the Force be with you, my Lord." (Y/N) whispered gently and softly bit his bottom lip.

"May the Force be with you too, (Y/N)." Ren smooched her lips and stormed out. His cape dragged after his feet. He had to finish his training and (Y/N) understood that. She could wait for him forever. He had changed a lot because of her and the challenges they went through together. She couldn't wait for the moment she would bury her fingers in his raven black hair again.

When Kylo Ren returned from his final training, (Y/N) was already back on her feet. He found her working on her new mask. She was just too used to wearing the stormtrooper helmet. A coincidence, since he had alerted the other knights of Ren that they will be gathering in the secret temple for her welcoming ceremony.

"How is it?" (Y/N) asked with the mask on.

"Creative. Why the voice modulator though?" Ren smirked slightly.

"Because it is precious to watch your enemies' faces when they have been slayed, fooled that they fought a man, while it was actually a woman. Besides, at times I'd rather remain unidentified."

"How are you feeling?" Ren removed her mask and put his hands on her waist.

"Much better. And even better, now that you're back."

The two dark lords got on board of the command shuttle and set course for the secret temple.

"You are now a Knight of Ren." Kylo Ren announced as (Y/N) had knelt in front of him with her mask on in the presence of the other knights of Ren. "Rise!" Ren ordered. (Y/N) rose to her feet, turning around to face them and slowly took off her mask, her blood red locks falling down her shoulders. This once again reminded Ren of the first time he saw her face.

The two knights had already gone through a lot together. Now a bigger challenge was standing in their way and they were determined to live through it together.

Finished: 10.02.2016


End file.
